


The Happy in the Ever After

by Brumeier



Category: Alice (2009)
Genre: Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 03:36:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 67,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5190692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A year in the life of Alice and Hatter, starting immediately from the end of the movie. How their relationship develops, the secrets they learn about each other, and the friends they make along the way.</p><p><b>Warning!</b> This series stands alone and is complete, but does end with a cliffhanger. When I was originally posting this I had every intention of writing a sequel, and then I got sucked into a new fandom and never came back to this one. It kept me from wanting to repost here for the longest time, but I really do love this series and want to share it here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. After the Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to FF.net in 2010.

“Hatter!” Alice ran across the room as if he might vanish in the next second and threw herself into his arms. All her fears left her and she pulled herself as tightly against him as she could. She breathed in his spicy scent – cinnamon and tea leaves and that masculine otherness that was all Hatter.

“Finally,” he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” Alice said breathlessly. She wouldn’t let him get away again without telling him how she felt. She pushed back a little so she could look into his eyes, and the tenderness she saw there warmed her clear through. Had she really turned away from that? She must be mad.

Hatter kissed her then and Alice knew that this time, with this man, everything was going to be different. Better. She’d been a fool to ever let him go and she wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“I missed you,” Hatter said, pulling out of the kiss. Alice put her hand on his cheek and drew him back in. She felt nothing, knew nothing, but Hatter. He completely filled her senses until she was fairly drowning in him.

“Alice?”

“Hmmmm.”

“Alice!”

With great reluctance, Alice broke the kiss and pulled back from Hatter. She looked into his warm brown eyes, unable to believe how lucky she was. He’d come from Wonderland for her.

“Alice, what’s going on here?”

Finally, Alice registered that it was her mother who was speaking. Carol looked confused and suspicious, her arms crossed over her blue dress. Alice had no idea what to say to her, and a glance at Hatter confirmed that he was similarly clueless. She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her and she covered her mouth to stop any more from coming out.

“I’m sorry, Mom. Um, this is Hatter. I know him from…”

“…a long time ago,” Hatter supplied. “We sort of…”

“…fell out of touch,” Alice said. “We were…um…”

“…very close for a while, yeah?” Hatter said. “Now I’m back in town.”

“I’m sure I told you about him.”

Carol looked at them, clearly not buying their story. “What about Jack?”

Alice looked at Hatter. He gave her the slightest shrug in response.

“I broke up with Jack,” Alice said finally. “He’s…uh…engaged to someone else. He lied.”

And that, at least, was the absolute truth.

“Hatter and I have a lot to catch up on,” Alice continued. “We’re going to go upstairs, okay?”

She didn’t give her mother any chance to argue. Grabbing Hatter by the hand, Alice dragged him out of the apartment and up two flights of stairs to the roof. There was a patio of sorts up there, with a scattering of wicker furniture and some plastic tables. It was the only place they could be alone.

Alice pulled Hatter down on the little loveseat, and, despite the questions she had for him, gave in to the urge to kiss him again. Oh, what a pleasure that was! She felt she could sit there for days, doing nothing but this. But eventually Hatter pulled away, resting his forehead against hers and breathing heavily.

“Wow,” he said.

“Yeah,” Alice agreed. She moved back so she could give Hatter a critical once-over. She frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Hatter asked, looking suddenly self-conscious.

“You are,” Alice replied. She put her hand to his head and messed up his hair, which was naturally inclined to stick up anyway, and put his hat back on his head. “That’s my Hatter!”

Hatter rewarded Alice with a bright grin and a flash of dimple. She threw her legs across his, cuddling in close. She couldn’t help but touch him, constantly reassuring herself that he was here and he was real.

“Tell me,” Alice said. “How’d you get here?”

Hatter pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Same as you.”

“They let you come through the Glass?”

“Well, I had to swallow my pride, didn’t I? Your old boyfriend helped me out.”

“Jack?” Now there was a surprise! Alice knew how the two men felt about each other.

“Did you think I meant Ratty?” Hatter teased. Alice smacked him on the shoulder.

“Jack gave me some papers, a phone thingy, and the key to his flat. As far as the Oyster world is concerned, I’m just another bloke.”

“I can’t believe you did that,” Alice said softly, resting her head against Hatter’s chest. “I can’t believe you left Wonderland.”

“Someone has to keep you out of trouble, yeah?” His tone was flippant, but his arms tightened around her. They sat that way for some time, comfortable in the silence, and in the feel of each other. There were so many things Alice wanted to say, but she surprised herself with the first thing that popped out of her mouth.

“I flew a Flamingo. All by myself.”

“Yeah?” Hatter sounded surprised.

“They were going to send me back through the Looking Glass. I was standing right in front of it, you know? But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let them bring more Oysters through. So I got away and got on a Flamingo and flew it back to the Casino. It was amazing!”

Alice could remember the thrill of it, the pride she had in herself for mastering her fears. She also remembered the sadness, because she was doing it alone.

“I’d have liked to see that,” Hatter murmured. “Were you frightened?”

“Yes! But it was up to me – I had to do something. And that rabbit guy…he told me…” And now there were tears.

“Shhh. It’s okay. Whatever Mad March did, he can’t hurt you. He’s gone.” Hatter stroked her hair.

“He told me he…that he killed you. And I almost went home thinking that.” Alice put her arms around Hatter and pressed her face into his shoulder. She could remember it all too well, the emptiness she’d had. And she was mad at herself, too, because she’d believed him. Because she’d taken a heartless assassin at his word. And had almost lost everything in the process.

“It’s all done with, Alice,” Hatter said, his hands rubbing circles on her back. “You brought down the Queen and the Casino. You saved Wonderland.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Alice said. She raised her head and smiled at him through her tears. “Will you stay?”

“As long as you like,” he answered.

Together they sat on the roof, kissing and talking and watching the sun go down. Tomorrow would start a brand new day and they would face it…together.


	2. What Dreams Are Made Of

Alice’s sleep was tortured.

In her dream, she was standing on the sidewalk, on a perfectly gorgeous sunny day. People were moving about all around her, and the street was full of traffic. It seemed like just another day, but Alice was agitated. There was something she was trying to remember, and the pain of not being able to made her head throb.

It had something to do with a hat. And wasn’t it amazing how many people wore hats? Alice saw dozens of them passing by on the street – fedoras, baseball caps, berets, cowboy hats, bowler hats, and those little tweed ones like her grandfather used to wear. But it was never the _right_ hat. Alice didn’t know what the right hat was, just that none she saw were it. Why couldn’t she remember? It was so important!

The harder Alice tried to think, the more the idea slipped away from her. She closed her eyes, tried to picture the hat she wanted. She almost had it…almost had it…and then she noticed the quiet. All of the city noise around her had stopped. Alice opened her eyes and saw that everyone was gone. The sidewalk, the street – everything was completely deserted. She was the only one there.

“Hello?” she called. Her voice echoed back to her, and the ground began to rumble under her feet. Without warning, the sidewalk she stood on broke away from the street with a roar and Alice was knocked painfully to her knees as the whole thing sped upwards at a terrifying speed. Metal roared and rock plummeted and when it all stopped, as abruptly as it started, Alice was hundreds of feet in the air and clinging to the edge of the sidewalk.

“Oh, no,” she whispered. Alice cast a quick glance over the edge, saw the rest of the city far below her. Vertigo kicked in and she scrambled away from the edge, but not quickly enough. The concrete crumbled under her hands and she started to fall. Her throat clenched too tightly for her to even scream and she dangled from the edge of the sidewalk.

A hand suddenly appeared in front of her, offering assistance. Alice looked up and saw a man standing on the sidewalk. He wore a brown leather jacket and maroon pants, and on his head he wore a brown porkpie hat. And Alice was almost certain that was the right hat. The face under it was kind, despite the disheveled hair.

“Take my hand,” he said. His voice was as warm as his eyes. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Who are you?” Alice asked him. And why was she even having this conversation, dangling over an abyss?

“You don’t remember me,” the man said. His face turned sad and he lowered his hand. Alice panicked. She needed his help!

“Yes I do! Please help me.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said.

“Please don’t let me fall,” Alice cried.

“I never did,” the man said sadly. And then he turned and walked away.

Alice could only stare at the spot where he’d stood. The hat was important, but so was the man. She felt grief and loss and she didn’t know why. She wanted to call out for him to stop, but she didn’t know his name.

Suddenly, the concrete under her fingers began to crumble. Alice tried frantically to get a better grip, but there was nothing for her fingers to grasp on to. With a sickening lurch, one whole section of the sidewalk dropped and she was falling, falling to her certain death. And now, now when it was too late, she remembered why the hat and the man who wore it were so important.

“Hatter!” she screamed.

Alice jerked awake, the scream still on her lips and her body covered in sweat. The sheets were twisted around her legs and she kicked at them furiously. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so loud she could almost hear it, and then she realized the sound was feet running up the hall.

Hatter burst into the bedroom, and in the dim light Alice could see that his eyes were wide. Just the sight of him made Alice start to cry. Her dream had left her feeling scared and wretched; how could she have forgotten him? The most important person in her life?

“Alice? What’s the matter?” Hatter sat on the bed and pulled her close, pressing gentle kisses to her forehead.

“Bad dream,” Alice sniffled. She wrapped her arms around him, and the warm solidness she found there helped ground her.

Hatter brushed her damp hair off her face. “You scared the life out of me with all that screaming. You want to talk about it?”

Alice didn’t answer, just burrowed in closer and rested her cheek on his chest. In the week since coming back from Wonderland she’d had frequent nightmares, usually about her father. Sometimes about the Jabberwock, or falling into the lake. This one was the worst.

Hatter held her and murmured soothing nonsense words in her ear. Finally, her tears stopped and her breathing slowed and she started to feel a bit normal again. And embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Hatter, I didn’t mean to cry all over you.”

“That’s what I’m here for, yeah?” He brushed the tears from her cheeks, gave her a soft, sweet kiss on the mouth. “Ready to talk about it?”

Alice sighed. “I dreamt I…I forgot you. And I fell off a ledge.”

Hatter was silent, but he tightened his hold on her. 

“When I woke up in the hospital it was my biggest fear. Forgetting you. Forgetting Wonderland.” Alice ran a hand up Hatter’s arm. “I don’t want to lose you, not even in my own mind.”

“Alice.” Hatter whispered her name next to her ear, making her shiver. “Jack never told you about the Oysters, the ones you rescued.”

“What about them?” Alice asked, tensing.

“The White Rabbit dosed them, once they got on the other side of the Glass. They forgot Wonderland, or thought it was a dream.”

“Why did he do that?” Alice tried to pull away, angry now, but Hatter held her close.

“It was better that way, yeah? No bad memories. No trying to convince their families what was real. And I worried…Jack might’ve had you dosed as well.”

Alice thought about that for a while. Even fearing that she might not remember him, Hatter had come through the Glass. And she couldn’t help feeling that if he’d found her with no memory, he’d have stuck around and gotten to know her all over again.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Alice asked. She put her hands on Hatter’s face, pulled him in for a long kiss. She was so glad he was here, smuggled into the apartment while her mother was out of town.

“My Alice.” Hatter peppered her face with soft, quick kisses. “You’re my heart. I would do anything for you. I love you.”

He said it so simply, so matter-of-fact, that Alice knew he meant it absolutely. The old Alice, the pre-Wonderland Alice, would have pulled back, pushed him away. It was too soon for that kind of declaration, she would’ve said. We need some space, she would’ve said.

But she wasn’t the old Alice anymore. Hatter had helped her do amazing things; they had shared a crazy, scary, life-changing adventure. More importantly, he had taken down the wall she’d constructed around her heart, stone by stone.

“Oh, Hatter,” she said now. “I love you, too, so much!”

Alice was rewarded with a brilliant smile and that dimple that she loved so much. She wrapped herself around Hatter and nuzzled his neck. His spicy scent filled her senses; his very presence filled her heart.

“I’m never letting you go,” Alice murmured.

“Good,” Hatter replied. He captured Alice’s lips in his own. Alice didn’t know it then, but her nightmares were over.


	3. Family Ties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Mention of past suicide. Not graphic.

It was mid-morning on a Saturday, and Alice was at Hatter’s apartment, waiting for him to finish his tea. He’d redecorated a bit, getting rid of Jack’s red and black color scheme and opting for more earthy tones. His kitchen was full of tea and fruit, his freezer full of the microwaveable meals he’s become overly fond of. Best of all was the smell that hit you when you first walked in, that Hatter scent that was all cinnamon and leather and tea leaves. Alice loved staying with him here, where they could be alone.

“What we doing today?” Hatter asked. “Another museum? The park?”

Alice grinned. She had gotten into the habit of filling Hatter’s weekends with trips around the city. There was so much she wanted to show him, so many things she wanted him to experience. She’d never asked if he was getting tired of all the running around.

“Shopping, actually.”

“Yeah?” Hatter nodded his approval and drained his cup. Alice was still bemused at how much Hatter enjoyed shopping, something most men would avoid like the plague. It seemed like he was always looking for more clothes, and more hats.

“I need to get something for my mom. It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow. I know I shouldn’t leave these things till last minute, but somehow I always do.”

Not to mention that Alice had no idea what to get for her mother. She was so difficult to shop for; perhaps that’s why it always ended up being a last minute thing.

“Mother’s Day?” Hatter asked, looking confused.

“I’m guessing they don’t have that in Wonderland,” Alice said. “It’s a day where we celebrate our mothers. Like, buying them gifts and taking them out for dinner.”

Hatter seemed to think about that for a minute, and Alice was surprised to see a quick flash of pain cross his face.

“Hatter? Are you okay?” Alice reached across the table and took his hand in hers. He flashed her a smile in return, but she thought it was a sad smile. “Hatter?”

“It’s nothing, Alice.” Hatter squeezed her hand and got up to wash out his cup. Alice wondered if she should push this issue. Something had clearly upset him. Mother’s Day? It suddenly occurred to her that she knew nothing of Hatter’s family, had never asked him if he was leaving anyone behind in Wonderland to be with her. Was she still that self-involved? Or had she not wanted to feel guilty, thinking that someone might be missing him?

“Let me grab my hat and we can go,” Hatter said. Alice stood up and put her hand on his arm, stopping him from leaving the kitchen.

“Tell me,” Alice said. “Tell me about your family.”

Hatter grew still. “It’s not a nice story.”

“Neither was mine,” she replied softly. Hatter looked at her, then pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Let’s sit down, yeah?”

Hatter held Alice’s hand, led her into the living room. They sat on the second-hand sofa, which was an incredibly ugly shade of green but quite possibly the most comfortable piece of furniture in the entire city. Alice waited patiently for him to start, though part of her was dreading what he had to say.

“We’re one-offs, you and I,” Hatter said finally. “No brothers or sisters.”

“Did you ever want siblings?” Alice asked. When she was younger, she’d wished for a little sister. Before her father disappeared.

“No.”

Hatter had a far-off look in his eyes now, and Alice knew he was thinking back to his own childhood. She wondered what he was like as a little boy. Devilishly handsome for sure, with that bright smile and that dimple.

“My father worked in the Casino. In the kitchens. My mum had worked in a dress shop, but once the Teas started coming out she got too hooked on them to keep working. Me, I’d pick up odd jobs here and there as soon as I was old enough.” A faint smile drifted across his face. “Even then, I was getting into trouble.”

“I bet you were,” Alice said softly. 

“My father was executed when I was seven. He was stealing Tea from the distillery, to bring home to my mum.”

“Oh, Hatter…”

“My mum was wrecked over it. She locked herself in her room for days. When she came out, she gave me a kiss and just…stepped off a ledge.”

Alice was horrified. What had happened to her father was terrible, but he’d been taken from her against his will. For Hatter’s mother to leave him on purpose, the way she did, was unthinkable.

“How could she do that?” Alice asked without thinking. “How could she be so selfish?”

Hatter shrugged. “She loved him. More than she loved me.”

Alice could hear the emotion making his voice thick and husky. She wrapped her arms around him and held him as tightly as she could. Hatter rested his head on hers and sighed.

“I never had any family after that,” he murmured into her hair. “Not until you.”

Alice’s face was wet with tears she didn’t even remember shedding. She wanted to be worthy of Hatter’s feelings for her; she couldn’t bear hurting him. It was a lot of pressure, but it was good pressure. Loving pressure.

Hatter pulled back, lifted Alice’s face so he could look her in the eye. His face softened when he saw her tears, and he brushed them away with his thumbs.

“I didn’t mean for you to cry, Alice.”

“When you’re hurting, I’m hurting,” Alice replied, sniffling. “That’s what families do.”

Hatter looked at her for a long moment, his eyes suspiciously shiny, and then his mouth was on hers. His kiss was full of need, and Alice met it the best she could. She put her hands in his unruly hair, stroking and pulling him deeper into the kiss.

It was several minutes before they pulled away, breathless.

“Keep that up, and your mum won’t get anything for her day,” Hatter warned. 

“If we hurry up with the shopping, we can come back and pick up where we left off,” Alice suggested. Hatter responded by pulling her up off the sofa with him as he stood.

“I’ll get my hat,” he said. Alice watched him disappear into the bedroom, where his ever-expanding collection resided. She had meant what she said. Just as much as her own mother, Hatter was part of her family now. Her love for him filled her with such a feeling of joy, she thought she might just burst.

“Ready,” Hatter said, flipping a grey fedora onto his head.

Alice stared at him, love and desire swirling inside her. She jumped into Hatter’s arms and, though he wasn’t expecting it, he caught her. Alice wrapped her legs around him and linked her hands behind his head.

“You know what? The shopping can wait.”


	4. Your Place Or Mine

Alice’s last martial arts class of the day had been canceled and she didn’t know what to do with herself. She supposed she could go home, see if her mom needed anything. Or she could go to Hatter’s, maybe surprise him by cooking dinner while he was at work; there was always a chance she’d get it right this time. At least she wasn’t burning things quite so badly now. She’d probably never be as good a cook as Hatter, but she was trying.

Making her decision, Alice headed over to Hatter’s. As always, she took a deep breath when she came through the door. She loved the way his place smelled; it was a Hatter smell, and it always made her smile. Alice dumped her gym bag by the front door and made straight for the shower.

The hot water felt great on her back. Whatever Hatter’s apartment might be lacking, amazing water pressure was not one of them. Alice could feel her muscles relaxing. She reached for her shampoo and paused. The shelves in the shower were crowded with a mixture of her things and Hatter’s – shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors. She’d never given it much thought when she’d started buying extra things to keep here; after all, half the time after working out the dojo she came here and she didn’t want to use Hatter’s more masculine products.

Alice shrugged, and got back to washing up. But when she got out of the shower she looked around the bathroom. There were two robes hanging on the back of the door, Hatter’s silk paisley robe and her more practical flannel one. Two toothbrushes on the sink, a little basket full of her hair things on top of the medicine cabinet. On the nights she slept over, she and Hatter would stand in here and share the small sink as they brushed their teeth and got ready for bed.

Alice wrapped a towel around her wet hair, and slipped into her robe. Now that she was looking for these little signs of cohabitation she wanted to see more, wanted to see how much of herself she’d left here at Hatter’s apartment. She was everywhere, little touches all over.

Her favorite fleece blanket thrown over the back of the couch.

A lithograph in the living room that Alice and Hatter had purchased together – a city view taken from the Empire State Building that had reminded Hatter of Wonderland City.

Her Alice in Wonderland mug on the counter next to Hatter’s, which had only a picture of the Mad Hatter’s hat on it.

A series of photos of the two of them from one of those photo booths, making outrageously silly faces at each other.

An alarm clock on her side of the bed; Hatter never needed one.

Most telling of all, Hatter had made room in his over-full closet for a few of her things.

An hour later, Alice was sitting on the couch staring blankly at the wall. She hadn’t even made a move towards the kitchen for dinner. Her legs were tucked underneath her and she wore only one of Hatter’s button-down shirts. On her head was a cream-colored pork pie that Hatter had gotten especially for her; she only wore it at his place, and only then when she was in a particularly fun mood. Alice wasn’t feeling fun at the moment, and she barely stirred when she heard Hatter’s key in the door.

“Alice!” Hatter was always so happy to see her. She’d never gotten anything less than a joyful, enthusiastic greeting from him. “I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

“My class got canceled,” Alice said. “I was going to make dinner…”

Hatter grimaced as he joined Alice on the couch. “No need to do anything drastic.”

Alice gave him a half smile. Hatter was wearing a black leather fedora today, with a black velvet vest and black jeans. It was all set off by a bright yellow silk shirt emblazoned with large blue circles. He had his own style, and Alice found that he looked good in just about anything. Or maybe she only thought so because she loved him so much.

“Are you okay?” Hatter asked, tapping the hat down on her head.

“I’ve been noticing that I have a lot of stuff here.”

“Okay…” Hatter looked confused and concerned. Alice snuggled up next to him, tucking herself under his arm.

“I was just thinking, I’m getting tired of spending half my time here and half my time at my place.” Alice had been thinking of nothing else for the last hour. She’d turned it over and over in her head, and now she needed to know how Hatter felt about things.

“Do you not want to…stay with me?”

Alice jerked back in surprise. She’d forgotten that sometimes her strong, brave, amazing Hatter could also be a bit emotionally fragile. Even after all these weeks together, he sometimes acted like she was going to decide he wasn’t good enough after all and leave him.

“Oh, Hatter.” Alice pulled his head down and kissed him, hard. “I was just thinking that it might be better if I moved in here. With you. Permanently.”

Hatter looked at her for a long moment, then broke out in a bright smile. God, she loved that smile!

“Do you mean it?”

“Only if it’s okay with you,” Alice said, though she knew it was. Hatter was careful not to push her, but she knew he wanted more. This would be a good step for them, and an important one for her – she’d never considered moving in with any of her other boyfriends.

Hatter swept Alice into his arms and kissed her quite thoroughly. She was breathless by the time they moved apart. What that man could do with lips and tongue alone, it was downright sinful!

“What about your mum?”

Alice sighed. “I feel guilty about that. It’s just been the two of us for so long. But…I need to live my life. And you’re the biggest part of my life.”

“Just promise me one thing,” Hatter said. He’d gotten very serious, and now it was Alice’s turn to be worried.

“What?” she asked.

“Stay out of the kitchen.”

Alice laughed, and slugged Hatter in the arm. Then he was kissing her again, and she knew she’d made the right decision. She was moving forward with Hatter, and for once she wasn’t afraid or anxious. As if she needed any other proof that he was the right – the only – man for her. Her Hatter.

“I love you, Alice,” Hatter murmured against her ear.

“Always,” she replied.


	5. Stranger Than Fiction

It was a rainy Sunday, the kind Alice had always liked because it gave her an excuse to stay home, curled up on the couch watching old movies or reading. Hatter was of much the same mind – he had a voracious appetite for books, even to the point of reading technical manuals – and so they settled in together to read. Hatter was working his way through a Sherlock Holmes novel; the character had become one of his favorites.

Alice, feeling a bit silly and nostalgic, had chosen _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_. She hadn’t read it since she was a kid, when it was something special shared with her father. Now that she’d actually been to Wonderland she was curious to see if there were any similarities between her experience and the other Alice’s. Hatter gave her an amused look when she opened it up, but then became engrossed in his own reading.

The illustrations caught her eye first, and she spent some time flipping through the pages looking at them. Wonderland had boggled her mind when she was there, and she wondered how it might have seemed to the other Alice, who had been so much younger. The White Rabbit certainly hadn’t been so cuddly when she’d been there. And then Alice was giggling when she reached the Mad Tea Party.

“What’s so funny?” Hatter asked, looking up. Alice merely held the book up and pointed to the illustration.

“That’s ridiculous,” he said, frowning. “Why’d he draw such a big head?”

“I don’t know, Hatter. Seems pretty accurate to me.” Alice grinned. Hatter’s eyes narrowed.

“You saying I’ve got a bloody big head?”

“Well…sometimes you have a bloody big ego.” Alice couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on Hatter’s face.

“Is that so?” Hatter set down his book, then grabbed Alice around the knees, his deft fingers tickling her mercilessly.

“I take it back!” Alice gasped, laughing and out of breath. “Truce!”

Hatter relented with a grin and pulled Alice to him for a long, languorous kiss. When she’d all but melted against him, Hatter reached for the book and flipped through it himself. Alice settled herself in his lap, so that they could both look at it together.  
“There aren’t really any talking animals in Wonderland, are there?” she asked. Hatter shook his head.

“No talking animals.”

“Hmmm. Maybe everyone having animal names confused Lewis Carroll,” Alice postulated.

“He could’ve wanted them to be animals. It’s a kid’s story, after all.” Hatter turned some more pages. “This Tenniel guy was spot on with the Jabberwock.”

Hatter was right; the illustrated Jabberwock was nearly identical to the real thing. She shuddered at the memory of that beast bellowing and snapping at her from a mere foot away. Hatter gave her a quick squeeze.

Tugging the book from his hand, Alice flipped back a page to read the Jabberwocky poem. She smirked at the mention of borogoves, and wondered if Charlie was still barbequing them. She still wasn’t certain what a borogove even was, but it sure had been tasty.

“Hatter? Were we in the Tulgey Wood?”

“No. See here – ‘did gyre and gimble in the Wabe.’ We were in the Forest of Wabe.”

“Does the Tulgey Wood even exist?” Alice asked, ever curious. Hatter wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

“The Tulgey Wood is real. It’s part of Old Wonderland, yeah? Where the old magic came from.”

Alice thought about that, thought about asking Hatter questions about Old Wonderland. Perhaps, though, that was best left to another day. Right then she thought of something else she’d rather do instead. Another fun, rainy day activity.

“There’s still plenty of magic in Wonderland,” she murmured, running her fingers along Hatter’s forearms. “That’s how I found you.”

Hatter kissed her again, this time with heat and passion. And for most of the rest of the afternoon their books sat on the couch, forgotten.


	6. Fairly Wonderful

Alice and Hatter stood in line at the fairgrounds, waiting to buy their tickets. On the other side of the booth were the rides and games and displays that Alice was so eager to show to Hatter.

It was a big weekend for Hatter. Alice had taken him out of the city for the first time, and he’d been delighted to see all the green, open spaces. Like Alice, Hatter was more comfortable in the city. But he could also appreciate fields full of rolled hay bales and placid cows. Alice decided not to mention the connection between cows and hamburgers.

“What’s that smell?” Hatter asked as they neared the head of the line. Alice took a deep breath.

“Fair food. Fried dough, cheese fries, candied apples, cotton candy…oh, yeah.”

Hatter just shook his head and handed over the money to pay their admission. Alice twined her hand in his, knowing that he sometimes got nervous in crowds because he worried something would happen to her. She wanted Hatter to enjoy his first county fair and not spend his time concerned for her safety.

“What do we do first?” Hatter asked. 

“The horse barns,” Alice decided. She consulted the little paper map they’d been given. “We always went to the horse barns first.”

Alice hadn’t been to the fair since she was nine years old. It had been one of her father’s favorite things to do each year and she was prepared to be hit with a lot of nostalgia. But when she and Hatter reached the barns and the first large head swung over a stall door, the memory that came wasn’t the one Alice had been expecting.

_“Comfy?”_

_“No, of course not.”_

_“Why don’t you just lean forward, put your arms around my waist, and let my body take the weight.”_

_“Yeah, I’m good.”_

Guinevere was the first horse that Alice had ever ridden. She wished now she’d taken Hatter up on his offer instead of stubbornly trying to keep some distance between them. Alice reached out a tentative hand and stroked the horse’s velvety nose.

“Thinking about your dad?” Hatter asked. He was leaning against the wall, watching her.

“Actually, I was thinking about Guinevere.”

Hatter smiled, and Alice knew he was remembering the same conversation. Of course, he’d spent much more time with Guinevere than she had, so it might have only been fondness for the mare that made his expression soften.

“You know,” Alice said, walking slowly down the center of the barn and stopping here and there to pat the other horses. “I used to be afraid of horses. They always seemed so big, and so dangerous. But I wasn’t afraid of Guinevere.”

“Yeah, she was a good old thing,” Hatter agreed, tailing her. “Helped me out more than once.”

Alice turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I wasn’t afraid because you were with me.”

Hatter kissed her, careless of the fact that they were standing in the middle of a horse barn with other fair-goers moving around them. “It’s a good memory.”

“Better than getting shot at!” Alice laughed. It was funny. When she thought about her time in Wonderland now, several months later, she had mostly good memories of it because of Hatter, and of finally finding out what happened to her father. Considering all of the running and hiding and being afraid for her life that went on while she was there, it was a wonder that _any_ of those memories were good.

“It was worth it, yeah? Otherwise I wouldn’t be surrounded by smelly horses with you right now.” How was it that Hatter always seemed to know what she was thinking?

“Absolutely,” she said. She gave Hatter another kiss, then tugged on his hand. “Let’s go have some fun!”

*o*o*o*

The rides were all in full swing – spinning and turning and rolling. Alice liked the ones that went in circles at high rates of speed, as long as they didn’t lift up in the air. Hatter watched it all with wide eyes, and Alice wished she knew what he was thinking.

“You want to go on one of these?” he asked.

“They’re fun, Hatter!”

“I’m getting sick just watching them,” he grumbled. Alice sighed. She didn’t mind – much – riding by herself, but it was more fun if someone went with you. She followed Hatter around the grounds as he looked at each of the rides. He finally stopped when he came to the Ferris Wheel.

“This one,” he said.

Alice looked up. And up and up. That old tightening gripped hold of her chest and she shook her head.

“I’m not going on that.”

“It’s perfectly safe,” Hatter argued. “It’s slow, and I bet the view from the top is lovely.”

“It’s too high,” Alice said. She watched the little baskets go around, swaying. No. No, no, no.

“Alice.” Hatter turned her head in his direction. “You flew a Flamingo. By yourself. All the way to the Casino. I think you can handle five minutes on this thing.”

“That was life and death, Hatter. This isn’t.”

“You’re right. This is fun.” Hatter dragged her over to the ticket booth and fished out some money so they could ride the Ferris Wheel. Alice let herself be led to the line, telling herself that he was right. What was this compared to a Flamingo? But it was so high…

When their turn came, Hatter helped her climb into one of the round, covered baskets. Alice was grateful it wasn’t one of the older Ferris Wheels that was just a metal seat with a bar across the front. Not even for Hatter would she have gotten on one of those!

Alice sat as close to Hatter as she could without being in his lap and pressed her face against his shoulder as they started moving upward. She felt ridiculous, but she couldn’t help it; it seemed no amount of Flamingo flying could break her of this stupid fear.

“It’s alright, Alice.” Hatter put his arm around her. “You’re perfectly safe up here.”

“I know,” she replied. She felt miserable. She didn’t want to ruin Hatter’s first time at the fair, and she didn’t want to be such a baby that she couldn’t even ride a Ferris Wheel without freaking out. Hatter stroked her hair.

“I know a girl. The Alice of Legend. She was afraid of heights, but that didn’t stop her running along ledges, flying Flamingos over the lake, and bringing down an evil Queen. The Alice of Legend never let her fears stop her.”

Alice opened her eyes and gave Hatter an amused look. “So you’ve forgotten good old Carlotta already, have you?”

“I’ve forgotten every girl but you, my Alice.” Hatter gave her his innocent face. “Although Carlotta did have her…charms.”

“I’ll just bet she did.”

The Ferris Wheel stopped when they got to the top and they swayed there above the treetops. Alice forced herself not to close her eyes, though she didn’t look at anything but Hatter. He, meanwhile, seemed to be enjoying the view of the fairgrounds from up so high.

“Do you miss it? Living in Wonderland City?” Alice felt compelled to ask. She knew he didn’t mind the heights; sometimes he’d sit in the window, or on the fire escape, though she supposed it wasn’t the same as being on a narrow ledge with your head in the clouds.

“Sometimes,” Hatter sighed. “Everything here is so boxed up. Closed in. Sometimes I go to the park and sit up in a tree. I’m daft, I suppose.”

“No. You aren’t.” Alice cupped his face in her hands. “You do what you need to, what makes you feel less…homesick.”

And Alice was so much better now. She’d been able to put aside her fear of abandonment, for the most part; but sometimes, like now, it niggled at her. She knew it showed in her face, though she tried to hide it.

“I don’t want to go back,” Hatter said softly, his chocolate brown eyes full of tenderness. “My life is here with you, and I’ll never regret coming.”

“I’m glad,” Alice whispered.

“You know the best part of this ride?” Hatter asked.

“Getting off?”

“Having a bit of a snog with my best girl.” Hatter suited actions to words, and the rest of the ride passed in a blur for Alice. By the time it was over, she was flushed and breathless. The attendant who let them out of the basket laughed and shook his head.

“Hatter?”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe later…we could ride again?”

*o*o*o*

Hatter didn’t like the midway. Alice could tell from the flinty look in his eye as he regarded the carnies that yelled at them from every side, trying to entice them to play. And when she explained that most of the games were rigged to be especially hard – particularly when the prizes were very good – Hatter had frowned.

Alice had always liked the midway because she liked to test herself against the games. She’d bounce the darts in her hand, getting a feel for the way they were weighted, or look for that sweet spot when throwing the baseball at the milk cans. But her all time favorites were the water games, where you had to shoot a stream of water at a target and make your character be the first to reach the top. You had to hit the target dead on right from the start, or you’d never set the winner’s light flashing.

“What’s that one?” Hatter asked, pointing. 

“It’s ring toss. You don’t want to play that one, it’s impossible.” Nevertheless, Alice followed him over to the game. “There’s a wide lip on the bottle that bounces the rings back off. I’ve never seen anyone win it. I think that sometimes they just give one of the big toys away to get people to come and play.”

“You put the ring on the bottle and you win one of those fuzzy big beasts?”

“Don’t waste your money, Hatter. Seriously.”

But Hatter stayed and watched, and Alice knew he was taking in every tiny detail. There was a man there with his daughter, who looked to be about three years old. He had a stack of rings in front of him, but no matter how he threw them they just bounced off the bottles.

“I wanna unicorn, Daddy!” The little girl bounced up and down, looking at the enormous purple unicorns with unadulterated glee. Alice’s heart went out to her, because there was no way her father was going to win her one.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” the man said when all his rings were gone. The little girl’s lips trembled, but she didn’t cry.

“I’ll have a go,” Hatter said, and slapped his money down. The carnie gave him five rings, but Hatter gave three of them back. “I only need two.”

Alice moved off to the side, so as not to impede his throw. Hatter held up the first ring, weighed it in his hand, and gave it a quick toss. As she knew it would, the ring bounced off the bottles and down into the dirt. Well, she’d told him it was impossible.

“Alright then.” Hatter flipped the second ring in the air, caught it, then flicked it over the bottles. Alice thought of the hat tricks he liked to do, remembered how clever his fingers were. And cheered extremely loudly when the ring slid right over the neck of a bottle, pretty as you please.

The carnie just stared at him. Hatter pointed to a purple unicorn. “I’ll take one of those, mate.”

“I can’t believe you just did that!” Alice exclaimed. She laughed and gave Hatter a congratulatory kiss. He just grinned, took the unicorn, and handed it to the little girl.

“I think this fellow wants to go with you,” Hatter said, kneeling down. The little girl looked at him with wide eyes and hugged the unicorn; it was nearly as big as she was.

“Unicorns are special,” she told Hatter in a confidential tone of voice. “They’re half horse, and half corn.”

Alice shared a laugh with the little girl’s father, who then proceeded to shake Hatter’s hand and thank him profusely. She watched the father and daughter walk away, feeling only the tiniest pang of loss at the sight of them. The swell of love and pride were much bigger.

“Just when I think I can’t love you any more, you do something like this.” Alice threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

“Shall we try our luck at darts then?” Hatter asked, grinning.

*o*o*o*

It had been a long day, and Alice was exhausted. She and Hatter had stuffed themselves full of fair food – Hatter turned out to be particularly fond of the fried dough and had eaten three just by himself – and Alice had managed to get him on another ride or two, after promising another go on the Ferris Wheel. She clutched an assortment of stuffed animals, because apparently there was no game that Hatter couldn’t win, and in her pocket was a photo of the two of them taken on the tunnel of love ride.

Hatter was carrying a plastic bag filled with water and one smallish goldfish, which he’d already named Charlie. Alice knew the life expectancy of a fish from the fair wasn’t great, and was already making plans to replace him with a hardier goldfish from the pet store.

“Did you have a good day?” Alice asked, still riding a buzz of sugar. Hatter kissed the top of her head.

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to go back to the B&B, or get something to eat first?”

Hatter cringed. “Alice, I couldn’t eat a single biscuit right now.”

“I can’t believe you ate all that fried dough.”

“Alice, please. I’m a very sick man.” Hatter gripped his stomach with one hand. Alice just laughed.

“I told you not to have that fried twinkie. Honestly? Fried twinkie?”

“That one may have been a mistake,” Hatter admitted.

“Okay, let’s get back. We’ll just relax and recover, how about that?” Alice freed up one of her hands, and put it in Hatter’s.

“Well, now, there’s an idea.” He got a thoughtful look on his face. “A little exercise to aid the digestion, yeah?”

Alice looked at him, saw the gleam in his eye. She knew that look, and could feel herself flush as she remembered some of the other times she’d seen it. “Oh, yeah.”

“That’s my Alice!” Hatter said with a big grin. And they practically ran back to the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** Special shout-out to my niece Aislin, who gave her mother that line about unicorns being half horse and half corn.


	7. Happy Unbirthday

It was a bright, beautiful Saturday morning and Alice embraced the day by putting her pillow over her head. She’d had extra classes at the dojo yesterday and she was exhausted. Alice didn’t need to feel the bed beside her to know that Hatter was already up and about; the man was an obnoxiously early riser.

“Wakey, wakey!” The obnoxious man called, walking into the bedroom. Alice just groaned and pulled the blankets up to her neck.

“You don’t want to miss your un-birthday, love.”

Alice lifted the pillow and glared at Hatter. He was holding a tray in his hands, loaded up with breakfast and tea.

“My what?”

“Your un-birthday.” Hatter sat on the edge of the bed and set the tray on his knees. He pulled the pillow off and tossed it aside. “You’re missing the best part of the day.”

“The best part of my day is the sleeping part,” Alice grumbled. But she pushed herself up against the head board and accepted the tray from Hatter. The plate was loaded with extra cheesy scrambled eggs, two slices of buttered toast, and four thick breakfast sausages.

“I can’t eat all this, Hatter.” Alice’s stomach lurched at the sight of all that food. She didn’t eat much breakfast, as a general rule. Hatter leaned forward and kissed her nose.

“That’s mine. The toast is for you.”

Alice couldn’t help but laugh. She and Hatter sat side by side on the bed, eating and drinking their morning tea. Even if it was too early for her to be up, she couldn’t help but be grateful that Hatter had gone through the trouble of making her breakfast in bed. He was always doing things like that.

“Are you ready for your un-birthday present?” Hatter asked, after he cleared away the tray.

“You’re serious about this un-birthday thing?”

“I don’t know your actual birthday, do I? I thought this would do just as well for now.” Hatter grinned at her, and disappeared off into the living room. 

Alice thought it was funny. She would go for weeks living a normal life, and then unexpectedly Wonderland would pop back up. It was kind of exciting, and she always welcomed the addition of a bit of magic into her day.

“Ta da!” Hatter swept back into the room, a small box in his hand. He sat back down on the bed and held the box out to Alice. “Happy un-birthday, my Alice.”

Alice took the box, and turned it over and over in her hands. She made a show of shaking it, but Hatter could easily outwait her so she didn’t push it. Besides, she really wanted to know what was inside.

“Oh, Hatter…” 

It was a bracelet. Delicate links of gold were attached to a tiny, heart-shaped ruby.

“You like it?” Hatter asked, and Alice could see he looked anxious. Did he honestly think she wouldn’t like it?

“It’s beautiful!”

“You are my heart,” Hatter said, fastening the bracelet around her wrist. “And now you have mine.”

Alice threw her arms around Hatter and nuzzled against his neck. “I love you so much, Hatter.”

“I love you, too,” Hatter murmured against his hair.

*o*o*o*

When Alice came out of the shower and dressed for the day in drawstring lounge pants and a t-shirt, she found Hatter reading on the couch. She figured in another month or so he’d have read every book in the city, the way he was going. She came up behind him and removed his hat so she could kiss his head.

“November eleventh,” she said. She sat next to Hatter, draping her legs over his.

“What’s that?”

“My birthday,” Alice explained. “It’s on November eleventh.”

“You’ll put it on the calendar?” Hatter asked. He was still working on learning the months; things were a bit different in Wonderland. Alice kept a large calendar in the kitchen and marked all the important dates on it for Hatter, who checked off each day to help himself keep track.

“Of course.” Alice ran a hand through her still-damp hair. “When is your birthday?”

Hatter shrugged. “I don’t know when it is in your world.”

“Do you even know how old you are?” Alice asked, curious. Hatter stiffened up, looked away.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. Alice was confused.

“What’s wrong? Hatter, how old _are_ you?”

“Could you just…leave it alone, Alice!” Hatter was practically shouting at her. He got up from the couch and stalked around the living room. Now Alice was really concerned. This wasn’t like Hatter at all.

“Hatter?”

“It’s nothing. I’m sorry I yelled at you.” He looked down at his feet, and Alice knew he must be feeling badly if he couldn’t even look at her.

“No secrets, Hatter. We agreed. If something’s bothering you, tell me.”

Hatter sighed, and sat back next to her. He didn’t touch her, though. “I don’t want tell you how old I am.”

Now Alice was confused again. “Why?” Why did Hatter look so fearful over something as silly as that? When he didn’t say anything, she tried to think if they’d ever talked about how old he was. And then, like an echo, she remembered.

_“Oysters don’t even live that long.”_

“Okay. Um…so you’re…what? Older than me? Is that the problem?”

Hatter nodded, looking miserable. Alice let out a breath, and squeezed his hand. 

“I don’t care how old you are, Hatter. I don’t.”

“Alice, I don’t know how I’ll age now that I’m in your world. Maybe it’ll be the same as you, but I still could be on Wonderland time.” Hatter pulled his hands away, rubbed them over his face. 

There was fear then. Alice understood what he was trying to say. He could outlive her. The fear of loss was his this time, not hers; his fear that he would live to see her die. The same visions that the Tweedles had pulled out of his head.

“You know what I believe?” Alice put her hand on Hatter’s face. “I believe that we’re supposed to be together. And maybe that’s only for one more day, and maybe it’s forever, but I’ll take what I can get.”

Hatter looked at her finally, his eyes shining with tears. “I don’t want to live one day without you.”

Alice sat on his lap and wrapped herself around him, wanting to comfort as much as be comforted. She laid kisses on his face and ran her fingers through his hair and let him squeeze her until her ribs ached.

“Hatter,” Alice murmured in his ear. “Think of everything we’ve been through. How many times did we almost die in Wonderland? But here we still are. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I can’t…I don’t want to lose you.” There were tears in Hatter’s voice, and he kept his face buried in her hair.

“You won’t,” Alice promised. “I love you, with all my heart. That kind of love never dies, Hatter.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Hatter pulled back, and gave Alice a small smile.

“You’re right,” Alice said. “You deserve better. But I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

As she’d intended, that got Hatter to really smile, enough for the dimple to peek out. She pressed a light kiss to his lips, and wiped the wetness from his cheeks. Her Hatter could be incredibly sensitive at times, and she loved that about him.

“I’m sorry I’m ruining your un-birthday.”

“Hatter, I never even had one until I met you. It’s not ruined.” Alice considered the fact that she was still wrapped around him. “There is one thing that would make this day perfect, though.”

“What’s that?”

“You. Not being dressed.”

Hatter gave her a full-fledged grin this time, and Alice knew they were going to be okay.


	8. Partners

Alice came home late, and expected to find Hatter in the kitchen throwing together one of his signature dinners. Instead, the apartment was dark and empty. Frowning, Alice checked her phone. No messages. None on the answering machine either.

“Hatter?” Alice checked the bedroom, the bathroom, and even the fire escape. No sign of him anywhere. Now she was starting to worry; it wasn’t like Hatter not to let her know where he was. And really, he didn’t have that many places to go. Work, the park sometimes, and home. She knew he wasn’t at work because the hat shop closed at five.

“He is a grown man and can take care of himself,” Alice said aloud. She knew it was true, and yet her mind still found countless ways to imagine how he might have come to harm on the way home from work. Hit by a cab. Attacked by a gang. Fallen down an open manhole.

Alice took a deep breath and decided to distract herself with food. She opened up the fridge and poked around, pulling out a piece of string cheese. It wasn’t much, but now her stomach was churning with nerves. 

Where the hell was Hatter?

Alice paced the living room, barely tasting the cheese. She alternated between worry and anger. She wished she had a number for Hatter’s boss at the shop; at least then she’d know he’d left work in one piece. Alice sat on the couch, smiling just a little when she thought about the place where Hatter worked.

The Mad Hattery. It was a hat shop just three blocks down, and he hadn’t wanted a job there just because of the name alone. But Hatter had needed work, and they’d needed a clerk. And who better than a man named Hatter, who not only loved hats but would also entertain the clientele with his many hat tricks. Alice had only talked with Edward Jacobs a handful of times, but the old man had raved about Hatter and about how much more money he was making since having hired him.

Alice wondered how many Edward Jacobs there were in the phone book. She was just getting up to look when she heard a key in the lock. Hatter came through the door grinning and carrying a pizza box from Mama Louisa’s.

“Where the hell have you been?” Alice demanded. “I’ve been worried sick!”

“I’m happy to see you too, love.” Hatter swept by her, planting a kiss on her cheek as he went. “Let’s eat, yeah? I’m starving.”

“Hatter!” Alice followed him into the kitchen and found him putting the kettle on for tea, a slice of pizza already hanging out of his mouth. “What are you doing?”

“Making tea. Eating pizza.”

“Where were you?” Alice couldn’t hold on to her anger, not with Hatter’s dimpled face grinning at her. She wiped some sauce off his upper lip with her thumb.

“Edward kept me late. Wanted to talk.”

“What about?”

“You know. This and that. Making me a partner in the shop.” Hatter couldn’t contain himself; he grabbed Alice up and swung her around the kitchen, narrowly avoiding banging her into the table.

“What?” Alice asked, giddy. “A partner? He made you a partner?”

Hatter set her back down, gave her a kiss that tasted of garlic, and went back to fixing his tea.

“He said profits have been way up since I started. And he wants to leave the shop in good hands when he retires. Might have to change the name, though.” Hatter looked thoughtful. “Maybe just _Hatter’s_?”

“Oh, Hatter, that’s wonderful news! I’m so proud of you!” Alice tossed aside the remains of her cheese and picked up a slice of pizza. She toasted Hatter with it.

“It’s better than that,” Hatter said. “Edward says we can go ahead with my idea to add a tea room on.”

“Hats and tea? You’ll really be in your element!” Alice was so excited for him. And she couldn’t help feeling just a tiny bit relieved as well. Hatter was making a life here. He had more reasons to stay now than just for her, and she found that extremely reassuring.

“Well, next time Edward keeps you late just call me, okay? I really was worried.”

Hatter pulled her to him, gave her a slower, longer kiss that had her toes tingling. “Sorry, love. It won’t happen again. Besides, I’m late because I stopped by your mum’s.”

That gave Alice pause. Hatter had never gone to visit her mother by himself; Carol seemed to make him nervous, and she was sometimes a bit perplexed by him. If they were spending time together without her, it couldn’t be anything good.

 

“Why were you at Mom’s?” Alice followed Hatter from the kitchen to the living room, where he sprawled out on the couch.

“I had some questions I needed answers to. Oyster questions.”

Alice shoved Hatter’s feet over so she could sit down next to him. Oyster questions? That wasn’t something they talked about a whole lot with Alice’s mother. They’d told her the whole story about Alice’s impromptu trip to Wonderland, but Carol had been a while coming around to believe it was true. She still tended to shy away from the subject whenever it came up.

“Why didn’t you ask me?”

“Alice, there _are_ some things I can’t talk about with you. This was one of them.” Hatter looked at her for a long minute, suddenly serious. Alice self-consciously ran a hand over her hair.

“What?”

“You’re so beautiful.”

Alice blushed. Hatter was always giving her compliments like that, and she still sometimes wasn’t sure how to take them. She knew he meant what he said, but she often had trouble believing it. Most days she felt far from beautiful. And right now she couldn’t help but feel he was trying to change the subject.

“What did you and Mom talk about?” she asked again, trying to sound like she didn’t really care. Hatter studied her for another long moment.

“See, the thing is…you’re the only girl I’ve ever really been in love with.”

“Oh, Hatter…” Alice started to move closer, aiming for a kiss, but Hatter held up his hand.

“Let me finish,” he said. “I know you’ve worked through most of your…issues. With dating. But sometimes I worry that I’m pushing you too much.”

“Hatter…”

“I don’t want you to worry about me leaving. They’d have to drag me away. I’ve a good job, and in about a year I’ll likely be the sole owner of the hat shop.”

“I know you’re not going to leave, Hatter,” Alice said.

“But you were worried when you came home and I wasn’t here, yeah?” And it was Hatter who looked anxious now. Alice suppressed a sigh. He was still worried that she didn’t trust him, after all this time.

“I thought that something happened to you. Like you got hit by a bus or something. I wasn’t worried that you had left.” She put her hand out to him and he took it, wrapping his fingers around hers.

“Oh. That’s a relief, then.” Hatter gave her a smile, but it was tentative. He stood up for a moment, then knelt on the floor and looked her in the eyes.

“Your mum said I had to be kneeling to do this proper.”

Alice’s heart was immediately in her throat, even before Hatter pulled the little white box out of his pocket. The old Alice started making noises about how this was rushing things and would change their relationship for the worse. The new Alice closed that door and added an extra lock.

“Alice, I want to be with you. Always.” Hatter opened the box and Alice found herself looking at a thin gold band topped by a gorgeous sapphire. It was beautiful, and it took her breath away.

“I know in your world this is supposed to be a diamond ring. But this one reminded me of your eyes. And of a very wet dress I once saw a pretty girl wear.”

The ring, and Hatter, began to waver as Alice’s eyes filled with tears. It was perfect. He was perfect.

“Be with me, Alice. Be my wife, my partner. My friend. I love you.” And Hatter waited for her answer. Alice knew him well enough to know that underneath his seemingly calm façade he was afraid – afraid she would reject him or push him away; afraid that he’d moved too quickly.

Alice took the box from Hatter, her hand trembling only a little. She pulled the ring out of the velvet lining and slid it on her ring finger, holding out her hand to admire it. It was much prettier than the ring that had brought them together in the beginning, and so much more magical.

“You saved me so many times,” Alice said finally. “From Dodo, and the Jabberwock. From myself. I trust you with my life. And with my heart. I love you, too, Hatter.”

“Does this mean yes?” Hatter whispered.

“Yes, Hatter. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Hatter jumped to his feet, whooping. He grabbed Alice’s hands, pulled her up, and hugged her so hard she was worried he’d crack her ribs in his enthusiasm. Then his hands were cupping her face and he was kissing her as if to pour all of his love and joy into her; but she was already full of her own.

The most touching thing of all, for her, was that he’d gone to talk to her mother about proposing. Did he ask her permission first? Probably. That would be a very Hatterish thing to do. And he’d clearly asked how to propose so he made sure to do it right.

“This ring is a promise, Alice.” Hatter held her hand carefully in his own. “A promise that I’ll not leave you. Ever. A promise that I’ll take care of you. Always.”

“I didn’t need a ring to tell me that, Hatter,” Alice said. “You’ve already told me in a million different ways.”

“Well, now it’s official,” he grinned. “Though, really, you were mine since I bought you from Ratty.”

“First of all, you never bought me. And you were mine since that first moment on the ledge, when you held my hand. I just didn’t know it.”

“Just please tell me you’re not inviting Jack to the wedding.”

Alice laughed, something she was doing a lot more since Hatter came into her life. “You’re magic,” she whispered in his ear.

“It’s all in the wrists,” Hatter replied. And there was more kissing, and more murmured words of love.

The pizza sat out all night on the kitchen table, cold and forgotten.


	9. Fireworks

Hatter hated the subway. Nothing Alice said or did could get him to relax, or get him to sit; he stayed upright and in front of her for the entire ride, glaring at anyone who even glanced in their direction. Alice suspected it was a combination of the tightly packed crowds and the fact that they were underground. She was going to have to stop him from watching disaster movies.

“We’re getting off at the 8th Avenue station,” Alice reminded him, but Hatter just grunted without turning around. Alice sighed. He’d been talking about getting a car – and the thought of him actually driving filled her with dread – but she’d told him that having a car in the city just wasn’t practical. And taking a taxi all the time got expensive.

When their stop came up, Hatter clamped Alice to his side and moved quickly through the crowds out of the subway car and onto the platform. Alice knew better than to fight against him; he wouldn’t let her go until they got up to the street. She bore it quietly, not wanting to start an argument and ruin the rest of the night.

Finally they were up the stairs and out on 8th Avenue. Alice breathed a sigh of relief when Hatter released all but her hand. She decided they’d catch a cab back home.

“Where are we going?” Hatter asked. 

“Two blocks west, then across to Pier 54.” Alice tucked the rolled blanket she was carrying more securely under her arm.

“And we’ll see the…fireworks…there?”

Alice grinned. “Yes, the Macy’s fireworks show.”

“Because it’s your day of independence, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Alice gave his hand a squeeze. Hatter, ever the sponge, had eagerly soaked up what little bit of information she had about the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence; she suspected he’d gone online as well to find out more.

They walked on in companionable silence amidst the crowds of people all looking for some festivity this July 4th. Alice couldn’t wait for Hatter to see the fireworks; she loved being there when he experienced something new, be it good or bad. 

“Let’s cross here,” Alice instructed. The traffic was heavy, but they made their way across to Pier 54. The large, rusted iron gate stood as a monument to days gone by.

“This used to be a dock for big ocean liners,” Alice explained. “Rich people were about the only ones who could afford to travel on them. Now they’re turning it into a public venue – dancing, concerts, that kind of thing.”

Hatter whistled appreciatively as they walked through the gate, which arched up far over their heads. 

“The _Lusitania_ used to dock here. It was a big passenger ship and it was sunk by the Germans in…I think World War II.” 

“It was the first one, love,” Hatter said.

“World War I? Really?” Not for the first time, Alice wished she had a better knowledge of her own history. She never failed to feel annoyed when Hatter knew more Oyster history than she did.

There was quite a crowd already on the pier. Many of them had brought folding chairs, while others had brought blankets to sit on. Alice found them a spot where they could lean against one of the wooden pylons, and spread out the blanket. It wouldn’t do much to soften the concrete, but it would keep a bit of the chill off.

Hatter sat with his back against the pylon and drew Alice in to lean against his chest. She snuggled against this warmth, wrapping his arms tightly around her. The weather was warm, but a cool wind blew off the water. Hatter wore his brown leather coat, and Alice had on a quilted blue jacket; still, there was nothing like body heat to keep you cozy.

“This world has a lot of special days,” Hatter remarked. 

“I guess we do.” Alice had never really thought about it, but there _were_ a lot of holidays on the calendar.

“Oysters must like remembering,” he mused.

“Don’t you have any holidays in Wonderland?” Alice asked.

Hatter kissed the top of her head. “We can remember without needing a special day.”

“Not even when the first Alice came and took down the House of Cards?”

“Not even then.”

“Oh.” Alice felt a little sad for Hatter. No holidays? No Christmas or Valentine’s Day? No wonder they made such a big deal of un-birthdays in Wonderland.

“Well,” she said. “Maybe they’ll have a holiday there now, to mark the fall of the Casino.”

“More likely an Alice day. You’re a hero there, you know.” Hatter tightened his arms around her. Alice laughed.

“Maybe they’ll put up a statue of us. In the middle of the city.”

“You in your wet dress,” Hatter chuckled. “With the ring in your hand.”

“And you with your sledgehammer hand raised in triumph!” Alice giggled, feeling silly now. “Everyone would dress up in porkpie hats.”

Hatter quickly got into the spirit of things, laughing along with Alice. “Barbequed borogove would be served at all the eateries.”

“Don’t forget tea. And pizza, brought in special from the Oyster world.”

“I suppose Jack would make a rousing speech.”

“Oh, yes!” Alice snuggled closer to Hatter as the temperature dropped. “A speech singing our praises. We’d probably be made honorary royalty. With crowns.”

They laughed together at the thought of Jack making a speech in their honor. That would be the day, Alice thought.

“The air’s getting a bit of a nip,” Hatter said. “How much longer?”

“It’s almost full dark now,” Alice replied. “It won’t be long.”

“Hope not. My bum is freezing.”

Alice laughed and turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Maybe I can warm you up.”

The kiss was soft and sweet. Alice didn’t know if Hatter was warming up, but she certainly was. Her skin was flushed. Her heart was racing. There was a pounding in her ears.

“Wow.” Hatter pulled away, his gaze on the skyline. The fireworks display had started and he was riveted. Alice found herself watching Hatter instead of watching the show. 

There was a look of awe and childlike wonder on Hatter’s face, his mouth open in a half smile as he watched the bright bursts of color exploding in the sky. Alice’s heart melted.

“Brilliant!” Hatter said. Alice curled up in his lap and rested her head on his shoulders, turning to look at the fireworks. When the finale came, with its constant booming and flashing, Hatter held his breath. And he clapped along with everyone else when it was all over.

“You liked it,” Alice said.

“That was brilliant!” Hatter exclaimed. “You have this every year?”

“Yup.”

“Can we come again next year?”

Alice laughed. “Of course we can!”

Hatter looked back up at the now-dark sky. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Like flowers made of fire.”

Alice rolled up the blanket and hugged it to her chest. “Come on, Hatter. Let’s go get some ice cream and go home.”

He was by her side in an instant, an arm around her waist. He gave her a quick kiss and a big grin.

“Happy Independence Day, love.”

“Happy Independence Day, Hatter.”


	10. Saying Goodbye

Alice’s mother had called first thing in the morning with bad news. Aunt Maggie had passed away. Honestly, this was worse news for Carol than for Alice; Great Aunt Maggie had been half senile by the time Alice was old enough to remember her, but Carol had many fond childhood memories of the woman.

She would have to go to the funeral.

“You were close to this woman?” Hatter asked over breakfast. “This aunt?”

“No. She was my grandmother’s sister, but she lost her marbles when I was a kid, so we didn’t see her much.”

Hatter looked confused by this bit of slang. “Lost her marbles?”

“It means she went crazy. Senile.”

“Mad?”

“I guess so.” Alice sipped her tea. “Mom’s really upset, though. She and Aunt Maggie used to spend summers together when Mom was young.”

“You should be with your mum,” Hatter said softly. “She’ll need you.”

Alice shook her head. “Mom’s already on her way to Connecticut. The funeral is in two days, so I’ll have to leave tomorrow.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know. Two or three days, probably.”

“I see.” Hatter pushed his plate away and got up from the table. Alice watched him stomp out of the kitchen, confused. What was his problem?

“Hatter?” Alice followed him into the living room and found him staring at the wall. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” Hatter turned around, a bright – and obviously forced – smile on his face.

“No lies,” Alice reminded him.

Hatter sighed, his shoulders slumping. Alice thought he looked…defeated, somehow. For a moment she remembered that day in Charlie’s fortress, when Jack had come and made Hatter feel less of the man he was. But what could have prompted that feeling now?

“Just talk to me, Hatter.”

“Alice, I just…it’s not…it’s so stupid.” Hatter ran his hand through his hair. “I’m just being an idiot, is all.”

Alice went to him and put her hand on his chest; his heart was pounding. She didn’t say anything, just looked up at him and waited. Hatter looked over the top her head, not meeting her eyes.

“It’s just…you’ve not been away. Since I got here.”

And Alice understood. From the day Hatter had walked through her front door they’d been together every day. Since Alice had moved in they had fallen asleep together every night and woken up together every morning.

“You don’t want to be alone,” Alice said.

“It never bothered me before,” Hatter said. He pulled Alice into his arms. “Being alone was just the way it was, yeah? But now…”

“Now you’re not alone. And you don’t want to be.” Alice hugged him back. “I’m sorry, Hatter. I should’ve just asked you to come, but I didn’t think you’d want to go.”

“No, it’s okay. Really. It’s a family thing and you should go.”

“You’re my family, too. Honestly, I’d feel better if you came.”

Alice pushed back from Hatter but kept her hands on his chest. 

“You don’t have to do that, Alice.”

“Yes, I do. I can be there for my mom, but there’ll be plenty of other family there for her too. If you don’t come…”

“I’ll come,” Hatter whispered.

*o*o*o*

They took a rental car to Connecticut, and even though Hatter begged Alice wouldn’t let him drive. She wasn’t altogether comfortable with driving herself, but at least she’d gone through the classes. Hatter had pouted for a while, but soon he turned to playing with the radio.

Alice tried to bring up some pleasant memories of Aunt Maggie, but all she could picture was a thin old woman who kept going on and on about hot dogs. There had been semi-frequent visits to the assisted-living home, and those had always been hard on Carol. For Alice they’d been boring courtesy calls.

After a while Hatter got bored with the radio and turned in his seat to look at Alice. “So what happens when we get there?”

“Well, there’ll be a viewing tonight, and then a church service tomorrow. And a graveside service.”

“A viewing?”

“Aunt Maggie will be laid out at the funeral home and people can come and pay their respects.” Alice explained. Hatter grimaced.

“And you…what? Look at her body? That’s disgusting.”

“It’s not…well, maybe it is. A little.” Actually, the more Alice thought about it the more she found herself put off by the idea. Did she really want to see Aunt Maggie’s dead body?

“Oysters find comfort in that, do they?”

“I suppose.”

Hatter frowned. “I’d much rather be remembered alive.”

Alice had a sarcastic response to that, but it died in her throat. She imagined herself at Hatter’s funeral, seeing him laid out all pale and lifeless. It made her chest ache.

“We won’t go to the viewing,” Alice decided.

“You alright, love?”

“I’m fine.” Only she wasn’t, not really. That was the problem with loving Hatter; someday one of them would have to say goodbye to the other, and be left heartbroken and alone. There was no life without loss, but loving someone made that loss so much sharper and more damaging.

“Maybe you should pull over,” Hatter said. He put his hand on the back of her neck, his fingers lightly squeezing.

Alice took a couple of deep breaths and forced herself stop being so morbid. “I’m okay, really.”

Hatter just looked at her and Alice knew he didn’t believe a word she said, but he didn’t push her either.

“Do you have funerals in Wonderland?” Alice asked.

“Of course we do. People die there as well, yeah?”

As if Alice could forget. She thought about her dad, and about Hatter’s parents. “What are they like?”

“In the City we burn our dead. Then the ashes can be scattered. Or placed into a special vault. Out in the country, they’re more like to bury them.” Hatter took his hat off and fiddled with it while he talked.

“We do cremation here too. My grandparents were cremated, then buried.”

“No-one in Wonderland would do a…what did you call it?” Hatter asked.

“A viewing?”

“Yeah. The Undertaker is the only one who sees the bodies. Then we have a little party, remembering the person who died.”

“Sounds like an Irish Wake,” Alice commented. Hatter just looked at her quizzically. “At a Wake there’s lots of drinking and stories. It’s a lot of fun, actually. I went to one once and it was really nice.”

“Will your aunt be having a Wake?” Hatter asked.

“No. It’ll be a regular church service. Afterwards, we’ll all go to Mom’s cousin Debbie’s house to eat and be together.” That was the best part, in Alice’s mind. Visiting with family, eating casseroles, remembering all the funny things about the person who’d passed on.

“Do you think they’ll have tea?” Hatter asked. Alice laughed and briefly took a hand off the steering wheel so she could touch his face.

“I’m sure they will. Thanks for coming, Hatter. I’m glad you’re here.”

“That’s my job, love,” Hatter replied with a grin.

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter sat in the church on the day of the funeral, dressed somberly in black. Aunt Maggie’s coffin was in front of the pulpit, draped in roses, and the priest was speaking about Aunt Maggie’s life. Carol sat beside Alice in the pew, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Much of what the priest said was a background hum to Alice; she wasn’t really listening. She’d gone back to her train of thought from the day before, imagining life without Hatter. All it was doing was depressing her. And then she thought about her father, who had died in Wonderland and hadn’t even had a proper burial; he’d been buried under tons of concreted and metal when the Casino collapsed.

Robert Hamilton had lived as a stranger for ten years in Wonderland, and died there with no-one to mourn him but Alice. Her mother knew the true story of what had happened, but they’d decided not to tell the rest of his family; they wouldn’t have believed it, and it would only have upset them. They all thought he was out there somewhere, alive and well.

“Alice?” Hatter whispered, and squeezed her hand. She realized that she was crying. Feeling suddenly overcome, Alice practically climbed over Hatter to get out of the pew. Heedless of the stares the rest of the family was giving her, she bolted down the aisle and outside the double doors.

Hatter found her there, sitting on the front steps and crying. Carol came out right behind him, looking bewildered.

“Alice, love. What’s wrong?” Hatter sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. She wiped her tears away with one hand, but more followed.

“It’s not fair,” she said, her voice thick with sadness.

“What’s not fair, sweetheart?” Carol sat next to Hatter on the step.

“Dad never got to have any of this. We’re the only ones who even know he’s dead! No-one else will ever get a chance to say goodbye and eat ham casserole and talk about all the funny things he did when he was young.” Alice knew she was babbling, and she felt stupid for even saying it, but she couldn’t help feeling cheated out of the normal mourning process.

“I’m so sorry, Alice,” Hatter said. “I didn’t give you enough time to say a proper goodbye.”

Alice looked at him, startled. “What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you say the whole place was coming down?” Carol asked. “You had to get Alice out of there.”

“I should have given her more time,” Hatter argued. “Or tried to get Carpenter out as well.”

“You did all you could, David.” Carol patted his arm. “No-one blames you for anything. You saved Alice, and that’s what’s important.”

Alice looked at the two of them and suddenly started to laugh. Carol and Hatter just stared at her.

“Listen to the two of you,” Alice snorted. She wiped at her eyes again. “I’m the one that’s crying, for goodness sake.”

“Alice, we may never have gotten to say goodbye to Daddy with a proper funeral. But you were with him when he died, and that’s what’s important. Funerals are for the living.”

Hatter nodded his agreement. “You remember him every day, Alice. If you need the ham, I can make you some.”

Carol and Alice both laughed.

“You know,” Carol said. “Aunt Maggie would have loved this.”

Alice stood up and dropped a kiss on Hatter’s cheek, and another on her mother’s. “I love you guys. I’m going to hit the ladies room and get cleaned up. Meet you back inside.”

*o*o*o*

Carol and Hatter sat out on the steps for a moment longer, enjoying the sunshine, the warm breeze and each other’s company.

“I’m glad that Alice has you in her life, David.”

“That makes two of us,” Hatter said. 

“Aunt Maggie would have liked you, you know. She had a very quirky sense of humor.”

“I’m sorry I never got to meet her. Alice said you were close.”

“She was my favorite aunt,” Carol said. 

They lapsed back into silence for a few moments.

“Alice told me that your parents died when you were young. I’m sorry.”

Hatter shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”

“You know, you’re a part of the family now David.” Carol put her hand on Hatter’s arm. “If you want to, if it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable, you can call me Mom.”

Hatter looked at her with surprise, and then his eyes filled with tears. He found he couldn’t find anything to say, but Carol didn’t seem to mind. She kissed him on the head and then walked back inside the church. Hatter watched her go, and thought about how wrong he’d been. The Oyster world was a Wonderland in its own right, full of magic. He was part of a family again.


	11. Heatwave

The city was in the grips of a heat wave and Alice found herself living in a wind tunnel. Hatter wasn’t dealing with the extreme temperatures very well and had fans going throughout the apartment, cursing Jack all the while for not having air conditioning.

“It’s bloody stifling in here,” Hatter muttered. He sat on the couch in just a t-shirt and boxer shorts, his face red and dripping.

Alice herself was bothered more by Hatter’s constant complaining than by the heat; city summers were always like this. They were absolutely getting an air conditioner at the first opportunity.

“Let’s go to the beach,” Alice suggested. “We can cool off in the ocean.”

“Absolutely not!” Hatter glared at her. “I’ve seen that so-called suit of yours.”

“What’s wrong with my bathing suit?”

“There’s nothing to it is what! I can’t have my fiancée running around half-dressed.”

Alice sighed. It was a fairly modest tankini, for goodness sake. Sometimes Hatter had very old-fashioned ideas about things.

“No-one will be paying attention to me,” she said. “Come on! It’ll be fun.”

“No,” Hatter replied stubbornly. His face was set in uncompromising lines.

“Fine!” Alice snapped. “You sit there and roast. I’m going to the store.”

Hatter just waved her away with one hand. Grumbling to herself, Alice stomped out the door. She didn’t really need anything at the store but she wanted to get away from Hatter for a while. He wasn’t normally so cranky, and she wondered if the weather was more temperate in Wonderland. She could only imagine how he was going to be once winter arrived.

She wandered for a few blocks up and over, and everywhere she saw people trying to beat the heat with fans, sprinklers and as few clothes as they could wear without getting arrested. Alice really would’ve liked going to the beach, but she had trouble picturing Hatter there in just swim trunks; he tended to cover a lot of himself up in public.

Alice had been gone for over an hour when the heat finally started getting to her as well; she could see it radiating up off the pavement. When she was a block away from home she stopped at the market for some ice pops and hoped they wouldn’t melt before she could get them in the freezer.

As usual, the first thing that greeted Alice when she walked in was a blast of air and the hum of the fans. She quickly stowed the ice pops in the freezer.

“Hatter! I’m back!” Alice called, but there was no answer. She went to the bedroom and saw her light blue bathing suit laid out on the bed with a little note that said _Wear Me_ on it. Another note on the bedroom window said _Come Up_ with a little arrow. Alice smirked. She quickly changed into her tankini and slipped on her flip flops.

“This better be good,” she muttered, stepping out on the fire escape. The metal was so hot she half expected to see her shoes melting. She was not prepared for the sight that met her when she got to the roof.

There, in the shade of an air vent, was a blow-up pool and an inflatable palm tree. The pool contained about three feet of water and a very pale, half-dressed Hatter. Alice couldn’t help but grin.

“What’s this?”

“A pool. Come on in, the water’s lovely.” Hatter grinned, holding out his hand to her. 

“How did you do this?” Alice asked. She took Hatter’s hand and stepped into the icy water. It felt wonderful against her hot skin.

“Mr. Greenlee in 6B. He sets it up for his grandkids.”

“Oh, this feels good!”

Hatter pulled Alice back against him, dipping his hands in the water and drizzling it over her shoulders.

“Sorry about the beach, love,” Hatter said. He kissed Alice’s neck.

“I’ll get you there eventually,” Alice promised.

“I’ve no doubt of that.”

“Then again, maybe I don’t want you looking at all those scantily clad women.” Alice relaxed against Hatter’s chest and absently rubbed his knees.

“The only girl I want to see in her scanties is you,” Hatter assured her.

Alice laughed, enjoying the feel of Hatter’s hands running up and down her arms, and his lips on the sensitive skin of her neck.

“This isn’t working,” Alice sighed. Hatter immediately stopped moving.

“What’s not working?”

“This pool. Instead of cooling off, all of a sudden I just feel… _hot_.” She said it in such a way that Hatter couldn’t mistake her meaning. He splayed one hand across the bare skin of her stomach and pulled her more tightly against him.

“I am sorry, love,” he murmured in her ear. “What can I do to help you?”

“Make sure Mr. Greenlee doesn’t come looking for his pool,” Alice whispered back.

The heatwave lasted another two days, but Mr. Greenlee didn’t get his pool back for a week.


	12. Dinner At Seven

Alice came home from the dojo to find Hatter hard at work in the kitchen, not an unusual circumstance since he did most of the cooking. But he’d also clearly straightened up and even had some of her scented candles burning. She wondered if Hatter had some romance in mind.

“Hey, you,” Alice said. She slipped up behind Hatter and kissed the back of his neck.

“Welcome home, love.” Hatter turned his head and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Better hop in the shower, yeah?”

Alice put her arms around him and started unbuttoning his shirt. “Wanna wash my back?”

“No time for that now. Our guests will be here in fifteen minutes.”

Alice stepped back, frowning. “Guests? What guests?”

“I’ve invited some friends for dinner,” Hatter said. He turned around and looked at Alice. “Put on something nice.”

“What?” Alice stared at him. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Sorry. I was all caught up with the shopping and cleaning.” And clearly Hatter was still distracted, because he ignored her stormy expression and went back to cooking.

With a put-upon sigh, Alice retreated to the bathroom to get washed up. She was feeling out of sorts about the whole thing. Why didn’t she know that Hatter had friends? Where had he met them? Alice took a quick shower and threw on a short black skirt and a blue silk shirt, grumbling all the while about how Hatter hadn’t told her about having anyone over for dinner.

The door buzzer sounded and Alice sighed again. She went out to the living room just as Hatter showed a man and a woman into the apartment. The woman was petite and curvy, and the man was tall and thin.

“Alice!” Hatter gestured her over, grinning. “Come meet my friends.”

Alice pasted a smile on her face and joined Hatter as he made the introductions.

“This is Daisy Waller and Peter Scrim. Daisy comes down to the shop at least once a week, and Peter works next door at the bookshop.”

“Nice to meet you,” Alice said politely, shaking their hands. She took an immediate dislike to Daisy, for no other reason than she spent so much time hanging around the hat shop.

Hatter showed Daisy and Peter into the living room, where Alice was surprised to see a tray of cheese and crackers on the coffee table. He was really going all out.

“I’ll be right back with tea,” Hatter said. Alice watched him disappear into the kitchen and forced herself not to frown. She felt awkward with these strangers in her house and she didn’t know what to say to them.

“You’re so lucky,” Daisy said. “David is a great guy!”

“I know,” Alice said. “So…you like hats?”

“I guess so. I like men who wear hats, I guess. David does the greatest tricks!” Daisy blushed, and Alice saw red.

“Here we are then!” Hatter reappeared with a tea tray. Alice couldn’t help but grin; only Hatter would serve tea at a dinner party. He poured out, handing everyone a cup and saucer.

“It was so nice of you to invite me for dinner,” Daisy gushed. “You have such a nice apartment!”

“Thank you!” Hatter grinned, and sipped his tea. “Daisy here loves to see my hat tricks.”

“So she said,” Alice remarked sourly. Hatter seemed oblivious to her tone.

“You’re just so _good_ ,” Daisy said.

Alice really didn’t like this woman. She turned to Peter, who hadn’t said a single word thus far. “Do you like working in the bookstore?”

“Yes.”

Alice waited for him to say more, but he appeared to be finished.

“Peter knows everything about books,” Hatter said. “He’s a right genius for finding first editions.”

Peter raised his cup in salute, but said nothing. Daisy, on the other hand, didn’t seem able to stop.

“You’re just so _lucky_ , Alice. David’s quite a catch. I’ll bet he was real romantic when he proposed, right?”

“Yeah. Real romantic.” Alice glared at Daisy. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Oh, just about every month or so,” Daisy giggled. “It’s so hard to find a good one, you know? My last boyfriend, Todd, stole some of my furniture when I broke up with him. Can you believe it? I really loved that chair, too.”

“How much longer till dinner?” Alice asked desperately. Hatter gave her arm a squeeze.

“Should be just about ready, love. I’ll go see to it.” And again he left her with silent Peter and Daisy the chatterbox. 

“I can’t believe he cooks!” Daisy said. “You’re so lucky! Most of my boyfriends couldn’t even boil water.”

If Alice heard how lucky she was one more time she was going to scream. She was immensely relieved when Hatter returned to announce that dinner was ready; she practically ran to the kitchen.

“Hope you don’t mind dining here in the kitchen,” Hatter said apologetically. “We don’t have space for a proper dining table.”

“Oh, this is so cozy!” Daisy blushed again.

Hatter had put a tablecloth on the table, and set out their mix-and-match set of dishes and silverware. It shouldn’t have looked good, but it did. He’d even set out candles and had a bottle of wine breathing on the countertop.

Alice sat in her usual spot, and Daisy sat across from her. The men sat at opposite ends of the table. Hatter served up one of his signature stews, complete with freshly baked rolls. Alice barely tasted it; she was too busy watching Daisy flirting with Hatter.

She didn’t like this. Not at all. For the last few months it had been just the two of them. Alice was surprised to realize that she hadn’t had more than superficial contact with her own friends in all that time; it was like she wanted to keep Hatter all to herself. Which was silly. Wasn’t it? Clearly he’d been feeling a lack in that area or he wouldn’t have invited these people over.

“This is just delicious!” Daisy made a big show of enjoying the stew. Alice resisted the urge to throw a roll at her…barely.

“Excellent,” Peter said. Alice looked at him, startled. It was easy to forget he was in the room.

“Thank you,” Hatter said. “Peter here is quite a…what was that word again?”

“Gourmand,” Peter supplied. He smiled shyly.

“You like to cook?” Daisy asked him.

“Yes.”

Hatter just grinned and winked at Alice. She stared back at him. What was he up to?

“So do I,” Daisy said excitedly. “I watch all those Food Network shows and I try to make some of the dishes. They don’t always come out good, but I keep practicing!”

“My Alice burns everything,” Hatter said with a laugh. Alice frowned at him. Was he seriously making fun of her in front of these strangers? She couldn’t help feeling a little hurt, and looked down at her mostly untouched stew.

“Would you excuse us for just a moment?” Hatter stood up and grabbed Alice by the elbow, dragging her out of her chair.

“We’ll be just fine! Don’t you worry!” Daisy called after them as Hatter pulled Alice out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. He shut the door behind them. Alice crossed her arms over her chest and glowered.

“What’s wrong?” Hatter asked. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

“Sorry, am I embarrassing you in front of your _friends_?” Alice hated that she sounded like a petulant teenager, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I’m sure Daisy would be happy to comfort you.”

“What are you talking about?” Hatter looked confused, but Alice could tell he was starting to get angry with her as well. Well, that was just fine with her.

“What does she do, just hang around the shop drooling over you all day? I’m sure you love that.”

Hatter’s face settled into hard lines, and his eyes were steely as they contemplated her. “You think I’m playing around?”

“No,” Alice said. And she believed that was true. “But Daisy probably wishes you were.”

“Daisy is a lonely woman, it’s true. But she’s just a friend. I invited her over so she could meet Peter.”

Alice was startled. “You’re trying to set them up?”

“They both need someone, and I think they’d be a good match.”

Alice was about to protest the likelihood of Daisy and Peter every hooking up, but she stopped when she realized the same could have been said of her and Hatter. She remembered how she felt the first time she saw him, looking so much the opposite of Jack; he’d been the antithesis of the man she’d felt she belonged with. And he’d turned out to be exactly what she needed after all.

“I’m sorry, Hatter.” Alice dropped her defensive stance, feeling like an idiot. “I hope I didn’t ruin it.”

Hatter wrapped her in a tight hug. “It’s okay, Alice. It feels good, knowing you were jealous about Daisy.”

“I guess I can’t keep you all to myself,” Alice whispered.

Hatter pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. “I’m all yours, in every way. Now and always. Never forget that.”

He kissed her, soft and sweet, and Alice melted into him. She felt foolish now; how many times would Hatter have to reassure her before she could just trust him, and herself? She knew there were probably a lot of women who found her fiancé attractive, but she was the one who got to share a life with him.

“Let’s get back in there, love. See if our guests have had themselves a nice chat.”

It didn’t seem that Daisy or Peter had particularly missed them in their absence. Daisy was laughing at something Peter had said, and he was looking slightly flushed.

“Everything all right then?” Hatter asked, sitting back down. Alice tucked into her stew, enjoying it much more now.

“Peter’s so _funny_!” Daisy laughed. “It’s those quiet ones, you really have to watch them!”

After that, Alice found it easy to join in the conversation and ask questions to get Peter to reveal a little more of himself. Now that Daisy didn’t have her sights set on Hatter, Alice was even able to tolerate her a little better. Hatter served a trifle for dessert, and then Daisy started making noises about having to get home.

“Would you like a ride?” Peter offered. Daisy clapped her hands.

“On your motorcycle? Do you have an extra helmet?”

Peter just nodded, and Alice shared a grin with Hatter.

“Thank you so much for having us!” Daisy hugged both Hatter and Alice in turn. “This was so much fun! We’ll have to do it again soon, at my place.”

Peter shook their hands. “Thank you,” he said.

Hatter walked them to the elevators, then came back inside. 

“Lot of cleaning up,” he remarked. 

“Leave it for tomorrow,” Alice said. “I’ll help you.”

The two of them sank into the couch and Alice rested her head on Hatter’s shoulder. Tea things littered the coffee table.

“Alice?”

“Yeah?”

“I think you should ring up some of your girlfriends. Go have lunch with them.” Hatter rubbed little circles on the top of her hand.

“I spend plenty of time with my best friend,” Alice protested. She kissed the side of Hatter’s neck.

“You’re my best friend too, love. But it’s okay to have other friends as well.”

Alice sighed. “I know. And you’re right, I’ll call them. It’s just…I don’t want to miss one minute with you.”

Hatter kissed her forehead. “We have our whole lives together, Alice.”

“It’s not long enough,” Alice murmured. But she let Hatter hold her in his arms and for that one moment life was absolutely perfect.


	13. Reunion

The envelope was waiting for Alice in the lobby mailbox, and as soon as she saw it her chest grew so tight she couldn’t breathe for a long moment. How could she have forgotten? She took it out with a trembling hand and stacked the other mail on top of it, as if putting it out of sight would put it out of her mind as well. She dumped the mail on the kitchen table when she got upstairs and worked very hard at ignoring it.

When Hatter came home from the shop, Alice was sitting at the table and staring at the envelope, which sat unopened in front of her. She gave a start when she heard the front door open, feeling unaccountably guilty. She snatched up the envelope and stuffed it in the first place she could think of – the microwave.

“Alice? You home?”

Alice met Hatter in the living room. “Hey.”

Hatter gave her a big hug and a kiss.

“How was your day?” he asked her. Alice followed him into the bedroom and watched him change into soft cotton lounge pants and a t-shirt. As always, she found his long, lean frame quite distracting.

“Okay. I’m picking up some extra classes. I’ll probably be full time by the end of next month.”

“That’s great, love!” Hatter flashed her a smile. “What you want for dinner?”

“We can just order something,” Alice said. She followed Hatter back out of the bedroom. “Pizza or something.”

Hatter shook his head at her. “I’ll cook something.”

Alice watched him go off to the kitchen, and soon heard him banging around in the cupboards. He made one hell of a mess when he cooked, but the food was always amazing.

“I’m gonna call my mom,” Alice called to him, hoping she sounded casual.

“Say hi for me,” was the response from the kitchen.

Alice took her cell phone into the bedroom and closed the door. Carol picked up after two rings.

“My letter came today, Mom,” she said.

“Hello to you, too.”

“Sorry. Hi.”

“What letter?” Carol asked. Alice could hear a lot of voices in the background and wondered if her mom was eating out.

“From the Hamiltons.”

“Oh. I see. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I think it’ll be too hard this year.” Alice picked at her bedspread. “I’d be lying to them the whole time.”

“Have you talked to David about this?” Carol asked.

“No.”

“Alice…”

“I know, I know. Mom, what should I do?” Alice wished her mother would just make the decision for her.

“You should talk to David. And then you need to do what feels right. I can’t decide for you, sweetie.”

“I know.”

“Look, I have to go. Call me later and let me know what you decide, okay?”

“Okay Mom. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetie.”

Alice hung up and sat on her bed a few minutes longer. She hated this. Just when she thought she’d put things behind her, something else came up. It wasn’t fair. But her mother was right. She needed to talk to Hatter about it. No time like the present.

She went into the kitchen and sat at the table, watching Hatter at the stove. He was cooking something with sausages, hopefully the turkey ones she’d been buying in an effort to save her cholesterol. 

“Hatter? Can I talk to you?”

“Always. Just a sec.” Hatter did some stirring and added some water, then he sat across from Alice at the table. He pulled the envelope out of his pocket.

“Is it about the mail in the microwave?”

Alice blushed, caught. She ran a hand through her hair.

“Yes. It’s about that.”

“Why were you hiding it? In the microwave?”

“I just…I wasn’t ready to talk about it.” Alice took a deep breath, trying to loosen the tightness that was back around her chest. “It’s from the Hamiltons.”

“Your father’s family,” Hatter said. He turned the envelope over in his hands. “You haven’t opened it.”

“I know what it says. I get one every year. They’re having a reunion and they want me to come.”

“Do you not want to go?” Hatter asked, looking confused.

“I always try to. Mom’s drifted away from that side of the family, but I always tried to keep in touch with them. Only now…”

Hatter nodded. “Now that you’ve found your father you don’t know what to tell them.”

Alice sighed, relieved. She should’ve known that Hatter would understand. She was an idiot for not telling him about this as soon as he got home. She was an even bigger idiot for letting it get to her this way.

“They want to believe he’s out there somewhere, even if they hate him for leaving and never contacting any of them. I can’t tell them he’s dead, not without any kind of proof. And they’d never believe about Wonderland.”

“Your mum did,” Hatter pointed out.

“Yeah, but it took her a while. I can’t tell them. I don’t know what to do.”

“Do you want to see them?”

Alice thought about that for a minute. Did she? Yes. She only saw that side of the family about once a year, and she really did love them. They’d be hurt if she didn’t come to the reunion; she was the only connection they had to her father.

“Yes,” she said finally. “I want to see them.”

“Then we should go.” Hatter went back to the stove for more stirring. “Where do they live?”

“My dad’s parents live in New Jersey.”

“Is that far from here?” Hatter asked, turning back around.

“No, not too far.” Alice grinned. “You ready for another road trip?”

*o*o*o*

Two weeks later Alice and Hatter were on the New Jersey Turnpike, Alice driving the rental car that would take them to Ventnor City and the Hamilton family reunion. Alice took the drive time to tell Hatter about her extended family, most of whom he would shortly be meeting. And to remind him not to talk about her father; she was worried he might slip and say something about having met him, which would be a disaster.

“You need to relax, love,” Hatter said finally. “It’ll be fine.”

“I know. I know it will.” But Alice didn’t really believe that. How could she look her grandparents in the face, knowing that their son was dead while they still believed him alive?

“Alice.” Hatter squeezed her shoulder. “If it gets to be too much we’ll just leave, yeah?”

Alice sighed. “Yeah. Okay.”

All too soon they reached the Ventnor City exit and Alice took a deep breath. They were almost there. The Hamiltons lived just outside the town, in a large colonial surrounded by landscaped grounds. Hatter whistled through his teeth.

“Look at this place! These Hamiltons must be well-to-do.”

“My dad wasn’t the only smart science guy in the family,” Alice responded. She pulled into the long, circular driveway; it was already full of cars, some parked on the grass. Even before Alice cut the engine she could hear the sounds of voices and music coming from the back of the house.

“Sounds like a party,” Hatter remarked. He looked over at Alice, one eyebrow raised. 

Alice nodded and turned off the car. It would be cowardly to leave now, no matter how much she was dreading the crowd that was partying so boisterously behind the house. As she had partied only the year before.

A little blonde girl came tearing around the side of the house and skidded to a halt when Alice got out of the car. They looked at each other for a long moment, and then the little girl went running off again.

“Daddy! Cousin Alice is here!”

Hatter got out of the car and grinned at Alice over the roof. “No going back now, love.”

With extreme reluctance, Alice headed around the side of the house; Hatter kept a firm grip on her hand, both supporting her and keeping her from cutting and running. The noise grew louder and then they were in the backyard, which was festooned with balloons and citronella torches and the smell of barbeque. A stereo had been brought outside and played oldies music from a table near the back door. The bricked patio was cluttered with food tables, plastic chairs, and coolers full of beer and soda. People were playing volleyball, badminton, and horseshoes while groups of kids ran around whooping and hollering.

“Wow,” Hatter murmured in Alice’s ear. She turned to look at him, remembering that he’d had very little family of his own growing up. This must seem crazy to him.

“Welcome to the Hamilton Family Reunion,” she said. She gave him a quick kiss, which is all she had time for before family members descended.

“Alice!” An older woman came hurrying across the patio, nimbly dodging a toddler playing with a truck and a spilled soda. “Oh, it’s so good to see you!”

“Gram.” Alice found herself folded into her grandmother’s arms and she had that feeling of not being able to breathe again.

“And you must be David!” Alice’s grandmother threw her arms around Hatter as well, clearly startling him. “You can call me Rose. Or Gram. Or Grandma.”

Rose took hold of Alice’s hand and Hatter’s. “What a fine looking couple you are!”

“Give her room to breathe, Rosie.” A tall man with the beginnings of a potbelly ambled over to them. “You’re going to smother them.”

“This is my Poppy,” Alice said by way of introduction. She couldn’t believe how much he looked like her father; she’d never really seen it before.

“You can call me Al,” he said, shaking Hatter’s hand. “Alice is the only one who calls me Poppy.”

“Yes, sir,” Hatter said.

Alice and her grandfather shared a quick hug, and Alice breathed in the scent of him. Was that how her father would have smelled, if he hadn’t been taken away? Like Old Spice and butterscotch candies?

Rose dragged Alice and Hatter around the yard to meet and greet all of the Hamiltons that had come to the reunion. By the time Hatter had met all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends of the family, he had a distinctly glazed look in his eye.

“It’s alright dear,” Rose said, patting his arm. “You’ll get to know all of them soon enough. But you must be hungry. Let’s get you something to eat and you can tell me all about yourself.”

Hatter let himself be pulled away, leaving Alice and her grandfather to share the glider swing that sat under a maple tree. They swung in silence for a bit while Alice watched everyone playing or talking. She’d forgotten how much she loved these reunions; it was so nice being able to see everyone, to feel the camaraderie washing over her.

“I love it here,” Alice said. “I always did.”

“We love having you here,” Al replied. “Your young man seems nice.”

“He’s amazing,” Alice agreed.

“Your grandma will know all there is to know about him in about ten minutes, you wait and see.”

Alice smiled, but she felt sad. There were things her grandparents would never know, about Hatter and herself and their own son. She hated keeping secrets from them, but even her mother had agreed that they’d never believe the truth.

“You look sad,” Al said. “Anything you want to tell me?”

Alice opened her mouth, then closed it again. What could she say? Luckily, her cousin Kelsey came over and dragged her off to play volleyball. And for a while she let herself be sucked into the family fun just like always.

*o*o*o*

It had turned dark, and the citronella torches had been lit around the patio. The children were all inside, having a big slumber party in the den. Hatter and Alice sat around a plastic table with Al, Rose and Alice’s two uncles, Mike and Tom. Everyone but Rose was drinking beer.

“Remember that time with the tree?” Mike asked, grinning.

“How could I forget?”

“I’d love to forget, but you boys never let me,” Rose grumbled good-naturedly.

“You have to picture this, David,” Tom said. “It was summer. I was – what? – about eight?”

“You were nine,” Rose said. “Mike was ten and Robbie was seven.”

Hatter shot Alice a quick look at the mention of her father, but she just smiled back at him; she’d heard this story before.

“Our cousin Glenn was spending the summer with us, and he was a year younger than Robbie,” Mike put in. “We got Glenn to climb up the tree, then ran in and told Mom he’d got stuck up there.”

“Horrible boys,” Rose muttered while Tom chuckled. “I’d never have believed you two, but Robbie sounded so sincere.”

“Of course, Mom climbed right up there to get him back down, but Glenn just kept going higher and higher…”

“And she got stuck up there!” Tom said, taking over the story from his brother. “Glenn shinnied back down the tree and Mom was stuck up there until Dad got home from work.”

Everyone, even Hatter, was cracking up now. Rose just smiled ruefully.

“As I recall,” Al said. “I tanned all your hides but good. After I rescued your mom.”

“Those sure were the good old days,” Mike said. He raised his beer bottle in salute. “To you, Robbie, wherever you are.”

There was silence then, the humor suddenly gone. Hatter squeezed Alice’s hand under the table.

“I’m sorry I never got to meet him,” he said.

“It’s his loss.” Tom glared off into the darkness. “He’s missed every good thing in the last ten years.”

Alice’s heart ached. She wished she could tell him that her father hadn’t left on purpose, that he’d been taken away and forced to forget everything and everyone he ever loved.

“I’m sad for you, Alice,” Rose said. “I’m sad you won’t have your father to give you away at your wedding.”

“Ooh, are we talking about the wedding?” Alice’s cousin Tami walked over, pulling a chair behind her. She joined them at the table. “Have you set a date yet?”

Alice and Hatter looked at each other. They hadn’t actually discussed the wedding much, not since they’d gotten engaged. Alice had thought about it, of course, but no plans had been put in place.

“Hmm, I can see not.” Tami pulled out her Blackberry. “Let’s see what’s a good day.”

“A summer wedding would be nice,” Rose said. “The weather would be warm enough to have your reception outdoors.”

“This is girl talk. Let’s get out of here.” Tom and Mike headed off towards the darkened horseshoe pit together. Their chairs were soon filled by Alice’s cousin Kelsey and her aunt Marie.

“I’ve always liked autumn weddings,” Marie said. “All those nice, rich fall colors. How many bridesmaids are you having?”

“Oh, well, we haven’t…” Alice stuttered.

“Your wedding date should be special, not just any random day,” Tami said. “It means more that way.”

“My friend Monica was married on October tenth. Ten-ten, get it? It’s so her husband won’t forget.” Kelsey grinned, and took a swallow of Alice’s beer.

“That’s why you get the date engraved in the ring,” Rose said. “Then they can just take it off and look.”

“Hey!” Al protested. “I never forgot our anniversary!”

“Well, you’re better than regular men, dear.”

Alice watched her grandparents share a loving look. That was what she wanted for Hatter and herself. A long, love-filled marriage. It suddenly seemed foolish that they hadn’t made any wedding plans yet. She didn’t want to be engaged forever; she wanted to be married. She wanted to be with Hatter in every way possible, including legally. 

“April third,” Alice said. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her, Hatter included. “We’re getting married on April third.”

Tami consulted her Blackberry. “Oh, that’s perfect, Alice! That falls on a Saturday next year.”

“You could wear something a little springy,” Marie put in.

“Why April third?” Rose asked.

Alice looked at Hatter and could see he was wondering the same thing. Of course, he wouldn’t know. His way of telling time was different from hers. She smiled at him.

“That’s the day we met.”

All the girls oohed and ahhed, but Alice had eyes only for Hatter. She saw his expression soften, saw the slow smile that spread across his face and popped out his dimple. She kissed him then, heedless of the tittering going on around the table. Hatter was the foundation upon which she wanted to build her life; without him there’d be nothing.

“Okay, you lovebirds,” Al said. He tried sounding stern, but his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Come on, David. Let me show you where you’ll be sleeping.”

Hatter gave Alice’s hand one last squeeze, then followed Al back into the house. 

“I don’t suppose…” he started to ask, but Al cut him off.

“You’re not married to her yet, son.”

*o*o*o*

The candles were guttering and Alice was exhausted, but she sat outside a while longer. It was just her and her grandmother now, watching the stars twinkle overhead.

“I believe he’s dead,” Rose said, breaking the silence. Alice looked at her, surprised.

“What?”

“Your father. I know you don’t want to hear that, sweetheart, but I feel it’s true.”

Alice felt tears burning behind her eyes. “I think so too, Gram.”

Rose took Alice’s hand in her own. “I know my son. He wouldn’t have left us without a word. He wouldn’t have left you. He loved you so much.”

“I know he did, Gram.” Alice remembered her father hugging her, remembered their last few minutes together in the Casino. “I’ve stopped looking for him.”

“I think that’s for the best, Alice,” Rose said. Alice could hear the tears in her voice. “I never thought it was healthy, what you were doing. You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. You’ve blossomed. David has been good for you.”

“You’ll never know, Gram,” Alice laughed. “He makes me laugh. He holds me up. He’d die for me.”

“And you love him.”

“More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

“Your father would have approved,” Rose said softly. “In his place, your grandfather and I approve.”

Alice let her grandmother pull her into a hug, and cried softly on her shoulder.

*o*o*o*

“Are you sure you can’t stay another day?” Rose asked. Alice gave her a hug.

“Nope. We have a stop to make on the way home, and we both have to work tomorrow.”

“Now we’ve got a wedding date, I’m sure Alice will be calling you for help,” Hatter said.

“We’ll see you again soon, I promise.” Alice hugged both her grandparents again. 

“Give your mother our best,” Al said. Alice promised she would. Then she and Hatter got in the rental car and pulled away, Al and Rose waving to them all the while.

“They’re good people,” Hatter said.

“Yeah. They really are,” Alice agreed.

“Alice? What stop are we making?”

Alice looked over at Hatter and grinned. “How do you feel about stopping by an Oyster casino?”


	14. Luck of the Draw

It was a short drive from Ventnor City to Atlantic City, and Hatter spent the time peppering Alice with questions. He wanted to know how an Oyster casino differed from the Wonderland Casino.

“No-one gets drained there, for one thing,” Alice laughed. “People go to have a good time, and maybe win some money. Casinos also have shows, like magicians and musicians.”

“Not so different, then.”

“I always wondered,” Alice said. “Was the Casino only used for draining Oysters?”

Hatter grinned at her. “It was the main function, yeah, but it wasn’t the only thing the Casino did. Suits and Diamonds lived there. There were places for eating and exercising. The occasional act would come there as well.”

“Robinson and Duckworth?” Alice asked. 

“Best stage hypnotists in Wonderland,” Hatter chuckled.

“Was there a regular game room for Wonderlanders?”

“No, that was for the Oysters. There were…other entertainments for those what lived there.”

Alice was pretty sure she didn’t want to know what those other entertainments were. And while she still felt good about bringing down the Casino and the Queen, now she felt a twinge of guilt for those people who lost their homes and their livelihoods. She could only hope that Jack was taking care of them.

“It’s too bad we couldn’t come at night, when the casinos are all lit up. It’s not quite as impressive as Las Vegas, but still really cool.”

“Las Vegas?”

“It’s an entire city built around casinos. Countless casinos, and some look like castles, and one looks like a pyramid. Gram and Poppy took me there when I was seventeen. Too young to gamble, but there’s plenty to see in Vegas without the gambling.”

“Maybe we could go there one day,” Hatter said. “Is it a far drive?”

“It’s about six hours by plane,” Alice explained. “You have to fly there.”

“Oh.” 

Alice suppressed a laugh. She’d taken Hatter to La Guardia airport to see the planes take off and while he was suitably impressed at the idea of that kind of travel, he didn’t relish the thought of having to fly. Alice wasn’t overly fond of it herself, but sometimes driving was just out of the question.

They were in Atlantic City before Hatter could ask any more questions, and Alice quickly located the casino she wanted to take him to. The Borgata was fairly new, and most like a Vegas casino. Alice paid the parking fee and then she and Hatter walked towards the main entrance.

The outside of the Borgata was all glass windows, reflecting back the mid-morning sun. Inside, the colors were muted creams and florals, with lots of marble and glass. There were Chihuly glass sculptures scattered about, the kind that Alice had never particularly cared for but that seemed to be everywhere. 

“I think this is fancier than the Palace,” Hatter whispered.

“They make more money,” Alice replied. She led the way through the lobby and into a large atrium dominated by pricey stores and red glass in the ceiling.

“The Casino had the red glass too,” Hatter said. Alice just squeezed his hand.

Soon they were in the casino proper, with all of the flashing lights and slot machines and noise. Hatter looked around, his eyes wide. The Game Room at the Casino hadn’t been very big, and hardly compared to the cavernous space that they now stood in. Even this early in the day, there were quite a few people sitting in front of the slot machines and at the Black Jack tables.

“Stay right here, I’ll get us Club Cards.” Alice left Hatter staring and went to get the cards. She put twenty bucks on each of them, the minimum amount; she wasn’t much of a gambler and hated throwing money away that she didn’t have to. She soon had Hatter sitting in front of one of the new slot machines, and showed him where to insert the card.

“The slot machines used to be much cooler years ago,” Alice said. “You’d put money in and pull a big lever to get everything rolling. And if you won, coins would come clinking out of a slot in the bottom. Now they put everything on these cards; kind of takes the fun out of it.”

“I’ll take your word for it, love,” Hatter replied. Alice showed him what buttons to press and soon he was engrossed in the game. It was more fun watching him than playing her own machine, so that’s what she did. And despite Hatter’s intense concentration, there was no way for him to manipulate the computer. In fifteen minutes, he’d spent all the money on his card.

“Twenty bucks? It’s all gone?” Hatter looked at Alice, incredulous. “I didn’t win a bloody thing!”

“That’s how the casinos make their money, Hatter.”

“What a con,” he grumbled. Alice held her card out to him.

“You want to use this one?”

Hatter snatched it from her without a word, and Alice knew that he was determined to win something. She followed him as he moved to a different seat, smirking as he muttered something about luck.

Ten minutes later Hatter was down to his last five dollars, and the scowl on his face was fearsome. He looked around at the other people who were sitting in front of slot machines, their gazes intent and unwavering.

“This is just like the Heart’s Casino,” he said. “Drained of money instead of emotions.”

Alice just laughed. “Come on. We should quit while you’re behind.”

They started to wander out of the gaming room, and then Hatter spied the Black Jack tables. 

“What’s that game?”

“Black Jack. You have to be the one who gets closest to 21 without going over to win.”

Hatter sidled over to the table and watched a few rounds before sitting down and sliding some money across the green felt in exchange for some casino chips.

“I can see it was a mistake bringing you here,” Alice said, standing behind him.

“It was a mistake playing those machines. Cards I can do.”

And he was right. Alice watched in amazement as he won round after round until he’d amassed $250. Hatter tossed a chip to the dealer for a tip, then handed the rest to Alice.

“Buy you lunch, love?”

“Hatter, that was amazing!”

“Just strategy and knowing the cards. It’s easier than playing against a machine.” Hatter shot a glare at the slot machines.

“Okay, let’s cash these in. We can hit the lunch buffet and then head home. Sound good?”

“Yeah.”

Alice cashed in the chips and handed Hatter back the bills, which he counted with a decidedly smug expression on his face. They asked a cocktail waitress in a very skimpy black dress the way to the buffet and left the game floor hand in hand.

The buffet was another treat for Hatter. The Borgata had an especially large and diverse offering of foodstuffs, and Alice trailed after Hatter as he examined everything from the lobster bisque soup to the mango glazed chicken to the cream puffs. She had to admit that just about everything here looked good, and it was easy to fill their plates.

“You Oysters have incredible amounts of food,” Hatter remarked around a bite of prime rib freshly cut off the bone. “This lot here would’ve fed the Resistance for months.”

“Americans do tend toward excess,” Alice agreed. “At least that’s what they’re always saying on the news. I love having all this variety, though.”

“You’d never find a place like this in Wonderland. Not even the Casino would put out a spread like this.”

“Are there restaurants in Wonderland?” Alice asked.

“Not many,” Hatter replied. He eyed a stuffed mushroom suspiciously and pushed it to the edge of his plate. “Regular folks couldn’t afford to eat there. Hard enough coming by food without paying extra for someone else to cook it.”

“You know what I wish they had on the buffet?” Alice asked, her voice filled with longing. “Borogove.”

Hatter laughed, then choked on his forkful of mashed potatoes. Alice pounded him on the back until he could breathe again. He grinned at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges.

“Only the Alice of Legend would crave barbequed borogove!”

“Now there would be a good business! We could use the Looking Glass to import borogove into the city. We’d make a fortune!” Alice laughed at the thought of it. “We’d have to bring Charlie over to cook it, of course.”

“Of course.” 

“It’s weird, you know?” Alice rested her chin on her hands. “So many terrible things happened to us in Wonderland, but sometimes I still get nostalgic for it.”

“I know what you mean, love. Me too.”

They sat quietly for a few moments, each lost to their own thoughts. Alice sometimes wondered if it was the adrenalin rush that she missed, that high you only got from running for your life and surviving. Not something she wanted to go through again, of course. Still, it had been exciting. Nothing makes you feel more alive than trying not to get killed.

“There’s a honeymoon package they won’t be selling anytime soon,” Alice muttered to herself.

“Honeymoon package?” Hatter asked. His keen ears missed nothing.

“You know what a honeymoon is, right?”

“Yeah. A trip you take when you get married. A right expensive one, at that. I saw a program on the Travel Channel last week.”

Alice laughed. “Yeah, they can be expensive. I was just thinking, they should offer a trip to Wonderland. Now that’s a honeymoon you’d never forget!”

Hatter studied her, suddenly thoughtful.

“What?” Alice asked, self-conscious all of a sudden.

“Would you go?” Hatter asked. “Back to Wonderland.”

Alice started to reply with an automatic negative, but she paused and thought about it for a minute. She’d certainly been curious about how Jack was doing now that he was King. And she would love to see Charlie again. If things had settled down, it might be nice to go back and be a tourist. Wonderland must be full of…well….wonders, and she’d only seen a part of that.

“You know what, I almost think I would.” Alice looked at Hatter and could practically see the wheels turning in his head. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing, love. Just a passing fancy. I’m getting more creamy puffs, you want some?”

Alice waved him away and watched him wander over to the dessert bar. She was sure he was plotting something; maybe a way to get back to Wonderland. The Looking Glass had been shut down, but she had no doubt that her wily Hatter could figure something out. And a surprisingly large part of her yearned to go back, ledges and Jabberwocks and all.

Alice was not unaware of the fact that Hatter missed Wonderland. It was the only other home he knew, after all. And no matter how well acclimated he was to New York City, a part of him would always be an outsider. Alice decided, as she watched Hatter stride back to the table, that if he couldn’t find a way back to Wonderland for a trip, then she certainly would. He wasn’t the only one who could make a plan, after all.

“What’s that look for?” Hatter asked when he sat back down.

“Nothing,” Alice said. She grinned. “Finish up your sweets. I want to go home.”

Hatter waggled his eyebrows at her. “Should I get these to go?”

Alice snatched one of his cream puffs and ate it herself. “Maybe.”

The cream puffs were devoured in record time, and soon Hatter and Alice were making their way out of the Borgata and into the sunny Sunday afternoon. They left the casino behind and got back on the New Jersey Turnpike. And if they did little talking on the ride home, it was only because they were each planning and plotting ways to surprise each other.


	15. Tipsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Some drunken unpleasantness of the verbal variety.

Hatter sat on the couch, ostensibly watching a documentary on alpaca farming. What he was really doing was watching the clock and drumming his fingers on his knees, waiting for Alice to get home. It was well after midnight and she’d never been out so late without him. He didn’t want to think about the kind of trouble she could get into at this hour in the city.

“Bloody hell,” Hatter muttered.

It was his own fault, anyway. Hadn’t he been the one that told Alice she needed to start seeing her friends more? Her best college friend, Lena, had just come to town for a visit and had begged Alice to go out with her for a girl’s night. Hatter had readily agreed, but if he’d known she’d be out this late he might not have.

Finally, after another forty minutes of agitation, Hatter heard Alice’s key in the door. Only it sounded like she couldn’t get it in the lock. He was off the couch in an instant, turning back the deadbolt and opening the door.

“What…” he started to say, and then Alice fell into his arms. Was she giggling? His Alice almost never giggled.

“Hatter! There you are, Hatter!” Alice laid a wet kiss on his cheek. “I was just telling Lena how great you are.”

“Are you drunk?” Hatter asked, incredulously. She certainly smelled of liquor. But his Alice very rarely drank, and never to excess. Like himself, she didn’t like to be out of control.

“That’s a very distinct possibility,” Alice said. She nodded seriously, then broke out in giggles again. 

“Out of the way, lovebirds.” Lena came stumbling through the door. She was taller than Alice, but more heavily built. Her blonde hair was cut in a short bob and she wore a tight black dress; Lena was dressed for the bars, but Alice had just thrown on a pair of jeans and a drapey blue shirt.

“Nice to see you again, Lena,” Hatter said without enthusiasm. He couldn’t help feeling that she was responsible for Alice’s current state of inebriation. 

“Where’s your bathroom, loverboy?” Lena asked with some urgency. Hatter just pointed.

“Oh, Hatter, we had such a good time!”

“So I gather,” he said, closing and locking the door. He could only assume that Lena would be spending the night; it would be irresponsible to send her back out to the city at this time of night, drunk as she was. He sighed.

Alice kicked off her shoes, heedless of where they landed, and began twirling about the room. Hatter just watched her. He’d never seen his Alice like this before, so giddy and careless. He found it…unnerving.

Lena came back in the room, singing. “All I know is everybody loves me.”

Alice joined in, the two of them hanging on each other.

  
_Head down, swayin’ to my own sound_  
_Flashes in my face now_  
_All I know is everybody loves me!_  


Alice actually had a quite good singing voice, something which she always denied. Hatter loved to hear her sing, when he could coax her to do so. Her friend, on the other hand, was completely tone deaf.

There was more giggling. Lena slung her arm around Hatter’s shoulder.

“Alice tells me you took a bullet for her.”

Hatter looked at her, startled. He and Alice had agreed not to tell anyone about Wonderland; it was a secret that they had to protect. Only Carol knew. 

“You seem like a good guy, Dave.” _Dave_? “You’re way better than the other losers Alice dated.”

“Um…thanks?”

“We had the best time!” Alice exclaimed. She was practically bouncing up and down. 

“Yeah. You should see this girl put away the apple pie shots.” Lena sat on the back of the couch, her feet on the cushions. Hatter frowned at that, hoping her heels didn’t tear the fabric.

“They _were_ tasty,” Alice agreed. She pushed Lena off the couch. “Get your feet off my couch.”

“Bitch,” Lena said good-naturedly from the floor. “I wasn’t the one dancing on the table.”

“You danced on a table?” Hatter asked. How could this be his Alice? He was at once annoyed and jealous. Why did only Lena get to experience this secret Alice?

“Some guys even gave her money.” Lena laughed and got clumsily to her feet. “Crap, I’m gonna have a hell of a hangover tomorrow morning. You got any coffee?”

“Just instant.” Alice danced into Hatter’s arms and gave him another wet kiss. “My Hatter drinks tea.”

Hatter grinned down at her. He had to admit there was something endearing about her in this state.

“As long as it has caffeine, I’m good.”

Both women trailed Hatter into the kitchen. He put on the kettle while Alice rummaged through the fridge for something to eat. She slammed the door shut with a frown.

“We don’t have anything chocolate. I really need some chocolate.”

“Check your bedroom stash, love?” Hatter suggested, referring to the candy bars Alice kept in her nightstand.

“Oh!” Alice immediately brightened and hurried off to look. Lena sat at the table and leaned back in her chair.

“Be best if you went to bed, Dave,” Lena advised. Hatter leaned against the counter and looked at her.

“And leave you sots unattended? Not likely.”

“Have it your way,” Lena said, resting her chin her hand. “You know why Alice doesn’t get drunk so often?”

Hatter heard the bathroom door slam shut, and wondered if Alice had found her candy bars.

“Why?” he asked. He wished the kettle would boil already.

“It’s because her happy doesn’t last too long. Pretty soon she’s going to get ugly.”

“What do you mean, ugly?” Whatever it was, Hatter didn’t like the sound of it. “If you know that, why did you take her out?”

Lena shrugged. “Because her happy is very, very happy. And she doesn’t let herself go often enough.”

That seemed fairly selfish to Hatter. A good friend would keep her safe, especially if they knew of a problem. He hadn’t met many of Alice’s friends, but this one he was really starting not to like.

“Although, I have to say it. She’s so much better since she’s met you.”

“Oh, yeah?” The kettle was finally starting to make noise. Hot enough, Hatter decided, and fixed Lena a cup of tea.

“She smiles more. She’s definitely happier. I approve.”

Hatter rolled his eyes, though in truth her words flattered him. He handed her the tea and resumed his position by the counter.

“Thanks.”

“I mean it, Dave. You sound like a good guy.” Lena took a sip of the tea, then pushed it aside so she could rest her head in her arms. Hatter counted, and it was only forty three seconds before she was asleep. He thought bed sounded like a great idea and went in search of Alice to see if he could convince her to have a lie down. She was still in the bathroom.

Hatter knocked on the door. “Alice, love. You need any help in there?”

There was no response, and he waited a moment before knocking again. Just as he raised his hand up, the door flew open. Alice stood there glaring at him, her eyes bloodshot.

“I don’t need your help!” she snapped. “I don’t need anyone’s help. Do I look like some fragile female to you?”

“Alice.” Hatter took a step back as she advanced on him. Clearly this had been what Lena meant by ugly.

“I don’t need some… _man_ …to tell me what to do!”

“I didn’t…”

“You think you can just come here and say some pretty words with your pretty mouth and everything will be okay?”

Now Hatter was getting angry. Lena said to blame it on the alcohol, but surely there was some basis for what she said; she wasn’t just pulling random words out of the air.

“Stop this, Alice,” Hatter said. Alice made a disgusted face and Hatter clenched his jaw.

“Or what? You’ll leave? Go back home and find some little Wonderland girl who’ll fall at your feet?”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Hatter said. 

“That’s me. Ridiculous Alice.” She laughed mirthlessly and poked Hatter in the chest with her finger. “You stay and you make promises and you don’t care that one day you’re going to break my heart when you leave.”

Like a switch had been flipped, angry drunken Alice became weeping drunken Alice. Hatter didn’t know what to do. He felt off-balance, angry and sad and sympathetic all at once.

“Everyone always leaves me,” Alice sobbed. She leaned back against the wall and covered her face with her hands. “They lie and make promises and tell me they love me. But it’s never enough. They want me to be softer or sweeter or more girly. I can’t be those things!”

Hatter hated this. When Alice sobered up they would have a long talk about her never drinking again. He was definitely getting rid of the wine. For now, he thought maybe weeping Alice would be more inclined to go to sleep.

“Come on, Alice. Let’s get you to bed.”

“What’ll happen to me when you leave?” Alice cried. Hatter took her by the elbow and propelled her toward the bedroom.

“I’m not leaving, Alice.”

“Daddy said that too. And then they came and took him away.” Alice sniffled. “I can’t be alone again. How will I make it being alone again?”

Hatter pulled Alice in the bedroom, pushed her down on the bed, and tossed her a tissue from the nightstand. 

“Stop your sniveling,” he ordered. Alice looked up at him, shocked.

“What?”

“My Alice doesn’t sit round feeling sorry for herself. My Alice is strong and beautiful and completely capable. And the only reason I would ever leave Wonderland.”

Alice wiped her eyes and smiled up at Hatter. “You always say the right things.”

Hatter sat beside her on the bed. “I only say the true things, love. And I hope you recall this in the morning; I don’t want to go over it again.”

“You’ll hate me tomorrow,” Alice sighed. Hatter chuckled.

“It’s already tomorrow, Alice. And I still love you.”

Alice leaned in for a kiss and Hatter obliged her. He didn’t take it personally when she slumped against him, asleep. He tucked her into bed fully dressed, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

Life with Alice was never boring. And sometimes it seemed like a test. But he would do anything to be with her, to prove himself worthy. But he’d be buggered before he let her go out drinking again.

“Pleasant dreams, love.” Hatter turned off the light and went to see about Lena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** So, I was sitting and watching Animal House, wondering what I could do for the next one-shot. Duh! Alice gets snockered! LOL! This is also my first one-shot from Hatter’s POV, because I really wanted to get his reaction to Alice’s behavior. Any resemblance between drunk Alice and myself is purely coincidental. ::grins::


	16. Explosive

It happens at exactly 5:17pm. Alice knows that because she just finished talking to Hatter on her cell phone, letting him know that she was going to be late. She’d spent the day with her mother doing girly things like shopping and getting facials. They’d had lunch out at a cute little bistro, and talked about Alice’s upcoming wedding.

Alice told Hatter she was stopping by the Italian bakery on her way home, because she was in the mood for some Savoiardi cookies. They were expensive, but today was a day for pampering herself. And Mrs. Paterno made the best Savoiardi in the city, as far as Alice was concerned; she should know, she’d tried just about all of them.

Just as Alice turns the corner to head up the block to the bakery she sees a bright, blinding light. Before she can do more than squint against it she hears a tremendous explosion and the ground goes out from under her feet. She can feel herself moving through the air, and then she hits something – hard – and everything goes to black.

*o*o*o*

Hatter is on the laptop researching Oyster wedding customs when he hears a bang so loud it rattles the windows. He looks up, startled, and thinks at first it was thunder. But the first bang is followed by two others in quick succession, and now he can tell it’s something else entirely.

He runs to the front window and he can see great plumes of smoke rising up in the air. He isn’t certain, but it looks to be about two blocks away. Hatter’s heart seizes in his chest and he runs back to the computer desk to grab the cell phone.

Alice. Where was Alice?

Hatter hits speed dial and waits for Alice to pick up, but after several rings it switches over to voicemail. His panic amps up a notch and he dials again, with the same results.

“Where the hell are you, Alice?” Hatter growls. He knows she hasn’t turned her phone off, or it would have gone right to voicemail without ringing at all. He looks back at the smoke; a sickening ball of dread grows in his stomach. He grabs the apartment keys, stuffs the phone into his pocket, and goes out to find Alice.

*o*o*o*

Alice wakes, choking on dust and smoke and fumes. What happened? She looks around, but everything is hazy and confused. Someone runs past her, their mouth open in a scream, but Alice can’t hear it. She can’t hear anything. She absently shakes her head to clear it, but nothing happens.

There is debris all around her: bricks, bits of metal, broken glass, and something that may have once been a mailbox. Every part of her body is throbbing and achy, particularly her head and her legs. Alice grimaces as she gets to her feet, using a bent street sign pole to help herself. She looks around and sees that she’d been leaning against a dented newspaper box. Did she hit her head on that? She can’t remember.

The street is a mess. A car is on fire and people are still running around. It’s surreal, watching this happen around her with no noise to accompany it. Like watching a movie with the sound muted. Alice blinks repeatedly to try and clear her vision, but it doesn’t help. Everything still wavers around the edges. 

Alice takes a few limping, sliding steps forward and stops. She isn’t sure, but she thinks there are people in the street. People on the sidewalk. She thinks they might be dead. There’s a lot of blood, and burned clothes. The smell is overwhelming, making her even dizzier. She knows she should be upset, but the feeling doesn’t come.

_Go get help, Alice._

She looks around, trying to see who spoke to her, but there’s no-one. No sound. Her brain feels sluggish and numb, but the voice was familiar. She tries to concentrate on it, but the harder she tries the more it slips away. Still, she does as she’s told and backs up again.

Someone grabs her arm and pulls her away. It’s a man, she thinks, and he’s got his face too close to hers. He’s talking, but Alice can only see the blood on his forehead and the way his eyes are too wide. He’s clearly agitated. Alice has no idea what he’s saying, and after a moment he stops talking to her.

She’s only vaguely aware that there are flashing lights now. She can’t stop looking at the bodies on the sidewalk. It’s a bad thing, a horrible thing, but she can’t look away. Alice thinks maybe she might have been one of those people. If she’d been walking a bit faster.

_Go get help, Alice._

There’s that voice again. It’s very insistent. Alice turns around and heads for the flashing lights. It’s not long before a man in a uniform takes her by the arm and steers her towards an ambulance. She shakes her head. She doesn’t want to go there. She wants to go home. Except she can’t remember where home is.

The man in the uniform sits her down on the back of the ambulance and tries to talk to her, but she just stares at him. He looks in her eyes, tilts her head to the side, then gently pushes her head down so she can look at her leg. Alice sees a piece of metal where one shouldn’t be, sticking at least an inch out of the meaty part of her calf. Her leg is smeared with blood and soot and looking at it makes her feel sick.

She looks back at the man, and the first dribble of fear starts making its way through the bubble of her shock. She wants to go home. She can’t go home. The man in the uniform is helping her up into the ambulance and making her lay down. He puts something around the metal, like gauze or cotton, and while the pain is there it’s a distant thing easily ignored.

Alice feels the rumble as the ambulance starts up, feels the motion as it moves away from the burned place. She can feel that she’s getting farther from home, and she’s afraid if she gets too far she’ll never find her way back again. There’s someone waiting for her there. Someone important. If she could just remember who.

*o*o*o*

Hatter runs as he’s never run before. The closer he gets to the source of the smoke, the more congestion there is on the streets and the sidewalk. He can hear sirens and horns blaring, and people talking fearfully. Maybe it was another terrorist attack, they tell each other. Hatter has learned that this is the fear of New Yorkers; he has read about 9/11 on the internet. But he’s not a New Yorker, not really, and all he wants is to find his Alice.

It takes some doing, but Hatter finally reaches the source of the smoke. There are already police barricades up, and a fleet of ambulances standing by. He pushes his way to the front of the crowd, heedless of the complaints, and his eyes widen when he sees the devastation. 

Several buildings seem to have blown apart, and the street is filled with rubble. But Hatter’s eye is on the bodies that are even now being covered with sheets until they can be examined and moved. He stops breathing, stops thinking. He feels himself starting to shut down and forcibly shakes it off.

“No,” he tells himself. Alice isn’t dead. He’d know it. He’d feel it if she were. He has to find her, so he can yell at her for scaring him so badly.

“Alice!” he yells, but his voice is lost in the din. “Alice!” 

Hatter moves through the crowd, looking desperately for Alice. Several times he catches sight of a woman with long brown hair, but it’s never the right woman. He’s losing control.

“ _Alice_!”

A police officer comes up to him, puts a hand on his chest. “Sir, please calm down.”

“I can’t find Alice!” The police officer gives him a sympathetic look.

“Do you know if she was here, sir?”

“She was on her way here. To the bakery. For those bloody cookies.”

“Have you tried calling her?”

Hatter clenches his fists, wishing he had something to punch. “Yes. She’s not answering. She was supposed to be here!”

He looks, unwillingly, back at the sheet-draped shapes in the street. The police officer follows his gaze and sighs.

“They’ve taken the wounded to the hospital,” he tells Hatter. “If you don’t find her there…you’ll have to contact the morgue.”

Hatter stares at him, wants him to take back what he said. Alice isn’t dead. He knows it. He _knows_ it. He’ll go to the hospital. Yeah. And maybe before he gets there he’ll reach her on her phone and they can have a laugh together about what a stir she’s put him in.

He moves away from the crowd of onlookers, walks half a block uptown, then leans back against the wall of a health food store. He is shaking. He pulls out his phone and calls Carol.

“Carol. There was an explosion. I can’t find Alice.”

“David? What explosion?”

“She was going to the bakery. There’s…bodies. And they took people to the hospital. Can you…can you pick me up?”

“Where are you?” 

Hatter gives her the street name, tells her he’ll wait for her by the health food store. He feels badly for calling her like this, scaring her like this, but he can’t do this alone. He’s too afraid.

“I’ll be right there,” Carol says briskly and hangs up the phone.

*o*o*o*

The emergency room is full of people with varying degrees of injury. Alice is brought immediately to the back, examined, and sent to x-ray. She doesn’t know why they don’t take the piece of metal out. She wants it out, and would pull it out herself if just looking at it didn’t turn her stomach. The nurses and technicians talk to her, even though they know she can’t hear them. She wishes they would stop; trying to read their lips makes her head pound.

Alice is sent to another room after her x-ray. There’s a woman doctor here, and she shines a light in Alice’s eyes and ears. She is poked and prodded and examined. A nurse holds up something for her to read, but the words keep running together and Alice can’t make it out. The nurse points to her own nametag, then at Alice, several times before Alice realizes what she wants.

“My name is Alice,” she says. She can feel her voice in her throat, but the sound doesn’t reach her ears. She says it again louder, just to be sure, and the nurse nods. She tries to think of her last name, but it slips away from her.

Her hand is swabbed with alcohol and an IV needle is inserted into her vein. She stares at it. She hates needles. She remembers another time being in the hospital and having an IV. When was that?

A little bag is hooked up to the IV, but Alice has no idea what’s in it. Are they giving her medicine? Pain killers? There still isn’t much pain, not with her head so full of cotton. And then they take the metal out of her leg, and she can definitely feel that. She cries, scared of being here alone, and a nurse rubs her arm.

She’s sent away again, this time for a CT scan. More technicians speaking to her in silent words. She starts to doze off, but then someone wakes her back up again. She’s so tired. Alice wants to go to sleep and wake up to find this is all some crazy dream. She pictures her bed: the blue and white comforter, the squishy pillows, and the man lying sprawled there on his back, sleeping. She can almost see his face.

Alice is sent to a staying room, transferred from a wheelchair to a bed. It’s not at all comfortable or squishy. A nurse is there, asking her to touch her fingertips to her thumbs and other strange things. Alice does them. The nurse flashes a light in her eyes, smiles, and leaves.

Just as Alice starts to doze off again, the nurse comes back and repeats everything. Alice doesn’t understand, but she does it. Maybe it’s a kind of test, and if she does it right they’ll leave her alone. She doesn’t want to stay here. She wants to go home. Hatter’s waiting for…

“Hatter!” Alice thinks she must have screamed it, because the nurse winces. “Hatter! Where’s Hatter?”

The nurse uses gestures and facial expressions to tell Alice that she’s going to check and see if Hatter is here. Alice starts to cry. She’s deaf and hurting and scared, and there’s nothing she’s ever wanted in her whole life more than seeing Hatter. When Hatter is with her she doesn’t have to be so scared.

*o*o*o*

The emergency room is a zoo, but Hatter quickly clears a path to the registration desk. Carol follows in his wake, one slim hand on his arm trying to rein him back in.

“Where’s Alice?” Hatter demands of the nurse behind the desk. He looks around the waiting room. “Alice!”

“David, calm down!” Carol pushes past him. “We’re looking for my daughter, Alice Hamilton. She may have been brought here. There was an explosion…”

“Let me check,” the nurse says. She eyes Hatter warily, but he just glares at her. What will they do if she’s not here? Hatter is just barely holding himself together; if he doesn’t find Alice here, he thinks he may unravel completely.

“There’s no Alice Hamilton in the system,” the nurse says.

“She has to be here!” Hatter barks at her.

“Please calm down, sir!” The nurse gets up from her chair. “Let me check in the back. If she’s was unable to tell us her name, she wouldn’t be in the system.”

The nurse disappears through a door and Hatter smacks his hand down on the counter, furious. A large crack appears, which Carol hastily covers up with HIPPA informational sheets.

“You need to calm down, David!” she admonishes him. “They’ll throw you out of here. We won’t find her that way.”

Hatter knows it’s true, but he can’t help himself. He’s supposed to protect Alice, keep her safe. He thinks back to the bodies in the street and squeezes his eyes shut. No. Not her. None of them was her.

The nurse comes back. “There was a woman admitted. She gave her first name as Alice, no last name.”

“That could be her!” Carol exclaims. She clutches Hatter’s hand in her own, revealing for the first time how terribly scared she’s been.

“A nurse will be out shortly to take you up. If she is your daughter, there will be some paperwork you need to fill out.”

“Of course,” Carol says.

Hatter focuses on taking deep breaths. It’s her. It has to be her. Here at the hospital, and not on her way to the morgue. However badly she’s hurt, she’s still alive. Still able to say her name.

A nurse comes through the door. She is young and her nametag says Ellie.

“Are you the ones looking for Alice?” she asks.

“Yes,” Carol says breathlessly.

“Come with me. Let’s see if this Alice belongs to you.”

*o*o*o*

“Hatter!” Alice cries. Where is he? Why isn’t he here?

The nurse comes back, shines that damn light in her eyes again and makes her do the finger thing. Alice has a finger she’d like to show her. The nurse is clearly unhappy with how agitated Alice is, frowning and shaking her head.

Hatter is probably sitting at home, wondering where she is. Alice can see that worried look on his face. What will he do when she doesn’t show up? Will he think to check the hospital? Will he assume something terrible has happened to her?

The nurse comes at her with a pad and pen and Alice slaps it out of her hand. “Hatter!”

*o*o*o*

Hatter, Carol and Ellie the nurse take the elevator up four floors. Carol asks lots of questions, but Ellie won’t tell them anything until she’s certain they’re relatives. They go to the nurse’s station, where Ellie has a quick confab with a male nurse.

“These two think the Alice you have up here might be theirs.”

“I hope you are,” the other nurse – his ID reads John – says. “If she doesn’t settle down we’re going to have to restrain her.”

And then Hatter hears his name being screamed from a room down the hall. John sighs.

“There she goes again.”

Hatter takes off at a run, skidding on the tile floor when he reaches the right room. And there is his Alice, sitting up in a hospital bed. She has dried blood on her face, in her ears. Her hair is covered in brick dust. He can see bruises on her bare arms. And she’s red in the face from screaming.

“Alice!” he says. But she just buries her face in her hands, crying.

Hatter goes to her, touches her gently on the arm. Alice jerks away and looks up at him. A look of relief crosses her face and she holds her arms out for him. Hatter sits on the edge of the bed and pulls her tight to his chest.

“Alice. I was so worried.”

“She can’t hear you,” John says from the doorway. “The force of the explosion damaged her ear drums. She won’t be hearing anything for at least a week.”

Carol slides past the nurse and sits on Alice’s other side, rubbing her back with one hand while she fights her own tears.

“My poor baby,” she croons. “Is that all that’s wrong with her?”

“Well, she’s had quite a shock. She has a concussion, but a CT scan revealed no damage to her brain and she’s been passing her neurological tests.” John comes into the room and consults Alice’s chart.

“She had a piece of metal embedded in her leg that had to come out. She’s had stitches and a tetanus shot, and we’re giving her antibiotics right now. Other than that, just bruising and some lacerations. We’ve got her on low doses of painkillers until it’s safe to give her something more to help her sleep.”

“How long will she have to stay?” Carol asks.

“Overnight, absolutely. And then we’ll see how she’s doing in the morning. You’re probably looking at one more day, though.”

“I’m staying with her,” Hatter says. He glares at John, daring him to disagree.

“I’ll make arrangements,” John says. “Mrs. Hamilton? I have some forms I need you to fill out.”

Carol kisses the top of Alice’s head and follows John out, leaving her daughter safely in Hatter’s hands.

*o*o*o*

Alice never wants to leave the safety of Hatter’s arms. He’d found her again, just like he always did. Just like he’d found her at the Hospital of Dreams, and in the Truth Room. Her hero, riding to the rescue once again.

“Don’t leave,” she says into his shoulder. 

Hatter pulls away, takes her face in his hands and looks into her eyes. He doesn’t need to say anything, she knows he’ll stay. No matter what the nurses or doctors or security people say. Alice smiles at him, but it’s a weary smile.

She gets a little anxious when Hatter gets off the bed, but he just grins and holds up a finger, telling her to wait. He disappears into the small bathroom in her room, and comes back with a wet washcloth. He sits back on the bed and starts gently cleaning her face. For the first time, Alice feels the grit and dirt on her. The cool washcloth feels heavenly.

Alice starts to doze off, but then the nurse is back – again! – to do the finger test and check her eyes. She sees Hatter get angry, and he has words with the nurse. But whatever the nurse says it backs Hatter down. Alice wonders how long her hearing will be gone. Maybe tomorrow she’ll be able to read the notes and find out what’s happening. For today, she’s happy just to have Hatter here.

*o*o*o*

It’s after midnight and the sleeping chair the nurses brought in for Hatter is incredibly uncomfortable. They finally let Alice go to sleep, though it seems that a nurse is still always coming in to check vital signs and the IV bag. There’s no such thing as a full night’s sleep in a hospital.

Hatter looks over at his Alice, her dark hair spread across her pillow. He washed it as good as he could with just a washcloth, but it seemed to make her happy. He wishes she could hear the words he murmured to her, and hopes fervently that she has no permanent hearing damage.

They were lucky today, and Hatter knows it. The explosions were caused by a broken gas main, and if she’d been moving up that sidewalk any quicker she’d have been caught right in the middle of the blast. She would have been one of those covered bodies in the street.

The thought of that makes Hatter tremble. He can’t sleep here, across the room from Alice. Even that small amount of space is too much. He gets up and pads across the floor, climbing up in Alice’s bed. Nurses be damned.

Alice shifts in her sleep and Hatter spoons up next to her. It’s a tight fit, but he doesn’t care. The nurses should still be able to do all their checks with him lying there, and they’ll bloody well have to. He’ll not leave her side until she can go home with him.

They were lucky today, and it makes Hatter fearful. How many times can they almost be killed before their luck runs out? He’d have thought he and Alice had used up all their chances in Wonderland. Maybe they were like cats with nine lives. How many did they have left?

Hatter cradles Alice in his arms. The tears he’s held back all day begin to leak out of his eyes, and in his effort to hold them back he starts shaking and trembling. Alice sighs in her sleep, and pats Hatter on the thigh.

“’s okay,” she mumbles.

Hatter presses his face to her shoulder and lets the tears come, crying silently even though he knows she won’t hear. He tries not to think about what’s going to happen when their luck runs out, and instead focuses on how grateful he is that he can still hold Alice in his arms.

“I love you, Alice,” he whispers.

When the nurse comes an hour later to check vitals, Hatter is sound asleep, curled around Alice on the small hospital bed. She just smiles, does her check, and then closes the door quietly behind her when she leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** I decided to make this chapter from both Hatter’s and Alice’s POV to show how they were both affected by events. I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. ::grins:: I have to thank Joe, the biker LPN, and my brother Eli, the occasional EMT, for their help with the medical stuff. If I’ve screwed it up, it’s entirely their fault. ::grins wider::


	17. Date Night

Alice walked to the Mad Hattery feeling a whole lot free and a tiny bit guilty. In the three weeks since she was caught in the explosion she’d been a prisoner in her own apartment, unable to go anywhere without her self-appointed escort. But this afternoon she’d looked out the window and seen what a gorgeous day it was, and decided enough was enough.

It was early October and the air was already feeling autumn crisp, enough so that Alice had to put on her jean jacket. She reveled in the city sounds, glad to be hearing them once again, and she was barely limping now. And if the occasional loud noise made her flinch, well, it _had_ only been three weeks.

A bell tinkled as Alice pulled open the door and stepped into the hat shop. The walls were lined with shelves, and every shelf was teeming with hats. Everything from fedoras to pillbox hats to novelty hats were represented here. The colors were bright, the atmosphere warm and welcoming.

“Alice!” Edward, Hatter’s boss, came over and gave her a hug. He was a genial older man with a penchant for bulky brown sweaters and corduroy pants. Alice was reminded of a kindly old grandfather whenever she saw him.

“Hi, Edward,” Alice said, returning the hug.

“Glad to see you up and around, honey.”

“Thank you for the flowers. They were lovely.” Amongst the many other bouquets and cards and balloons that Alice had received, she most loved the bright tulips that Edward had sent. Alice had always thought of tulips as being a bold, confident flower. “Where’s Hatter?”

“He’s in the tea room.” Edward pointed towards the rear of the store, where a prettily arched doorway led into Hatter’s future tea room; it was still undergoing renovations.

“Is it okay if I spring him early?” Alice asked.

“As you wish!” Edward winked and headed back to the register.

Alice nodded at a woman who was frowning over cowboy hats and made her way back to the tea room. She hesitated in the doorway, watching Hatter talk with a member of the crew doing the work. It was an all-female company that did home and business renovations, and not a one of them was under the age of fifty. Edward had used them before, and he swore they were the best in the city. Alice thought maybe he had a crush on the foreman – forewoman? – Charlotte.

When Hatter caught sight of Alice in the doorway, his expression was thunderous. Alice sighed. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy. She waited patiently for Hatter to finish his conversation, and then she made her way carefully across the half-tiled floor.

“It’s really coming along in here,” she said conversationally.

“What are you doing here?” Hatter asked, frowning. “You shouldn’t be out by yourself. Did you walk all the way here?”

“I was getting cabin fever,” Alice said. “Come on. Edward said you could leave early.”

Hatter glared at her for a moment, then let out a huff of air. “Fine. I’ll call a cab.”

“We are _not_ taking a cab, Hatter. I’m perfectly capable of walking. Besides, the theater is only a block away.”

“What theater?”

“I’m declaring this Date Night. We are going on a date.” Alice linked her arm through Hatter’s and pulled him towards the door. “Come on. I’ve got it all planned out.”

Hatter grumbled, but followed her lead. They both said goodbye to Edward and headed back out into the late afternoon sun. Alice tilted her face up to it and smiled.

“I love October! Warm sun, crisp air…this might be my favorite month of the whole year.”

“Alice, this is ridiculous. You should go home and rest.”

With a put-upon sigh, Alice backed Hatter up against the nearest wall. She gave him her hardest glare, but he only frowned back at her.

“I’ve been resting for three weeks, Hatter. I’m tired of being cooped up in the apartment. On Monday I’m going back to work…”

“It’s too soon!” Hatter interrupted.

“…and tonight I’m going on a date with you. I can’t hide indoors forever, Hatter.”

“You almost died!”

“And yet here I still am, arguing with you.” Alice gave Hatter a kiss on the cheek. “I know you worry. But I’m alive, and it’s time to start acting like it again.”

Hatter studied her for a minute, then wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you, love.”

“You have to face facts, Hatter. We live in New York City. The chances of a catastrophe befalling us are pretty high. We could get mugged, hit by a bus, knifed in a gang fight, or eaten by the alligators in the sewer.”

“There’s a cheery thought,” Hatter grumbled.

“You can’t walk around anticipating disasters, Hatter.” Alice gave him a proper kiss this time. “It’s always better to anticipate the fun.”

“So where are we going?” Hatter asked, relenting.

“To that little theater. Able’s? They’re showing _Moonstruck_ tonight and that’s one of my favorite movies.”

Hand in hand now, Alice and Hatter started walking again. Alice was so happy that she wanted to spin around with her arms out, like she used to do when she was a little girl. She felt liberated.

“ _Moonstruck_? What’s it about?”

“It’s about changing your life, and saying yes to love with the right person even when it’s safer being with the wrong person.”

Hatter grimaced. “A love story, then?”

“You’ll like it, trust me. It’ll give you some insight into the Italian side of my family.”

*o*o*o*

Two hours later Alice and Hatter were back on the sidewalk and Alice was basking in the glow of a well-told story. She’d laughed at all the usual spots, and even sang along to _That’s Amore_ when it played in the credits, much to Hatter’s amusement. You could get away with that kind of thing at Able’s.

“You weren’t kidding,” Hatter said. “You really like that movie.”

“Yeah,” Alice sighed happily. “I don’t know why, really. It’s all just so good.”

“It could’ve been called _Alice_. Lot of similarities there.”

“What? What do you mean?” Alice asked, looking over at him. She wasn’t sure if he’d liked the movie or not; he’d been silent through the whole thing, except when she was singing.

“That woman, Loretta. You were like her. Stuck in a rut and stuck with a right old ass of a boyfriend.”

“I assume you’re referring to Jack,” Alice replied dryly.

“And then you met me, and your life changed. For the better.”

Alice laughed. “Well, no ego problem here.”

“I’m serious!” Hatter said. “And if you’re Loretta, I’m the bakery bloke who was alone and miserable until I met you.”

They stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, and Alice wished she could see the moon from where they were. Was it full, like in the movie? She seemed to recall it was a fingernail moon only a few nights ago. Oh, well. Who needed the ambiance anyway?

“Were you?” Alice asked Hatter. “Alone and miserable?”

“Yes,” Hatter said softly. “But I didn’t know it until I met you.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, Hatter.”

“It is, love. Trust me.”

They shared a long, lingering embrace, heedless of the people who swarmed around them. When they started walking again, Hatter’s arm was around Alice’s shoulders.

“So what’s next for date night?” Hatter asked.

Alice thought about that for a minute. She was going to suggest a nearby restaurant, one that made really good chicken parm, but then she thought about something else she hadn’t been allowed to do for three weeks and she changed her mind.

“Next, we pick up a pizza from Mama Louisa’s, take it home, and eat it after I’ve had my way with you.”

Hatter grinned at her. “Sure you’re up for it, love?”

“Hmmm. Isn’t that supposed to be my question?”

They shared a laugh and another kiss. And Alice breathed a sigh of relief that everything was back to normal.


	18. Dressing Up

Hatter was out of control, and Alice was seriously considering getting him some psychological help. Since the beginning of the month he had transformed their cozy little apartment into something that now resembled a Halloween flea market. Every day it seemed there were more skeletons, light-up pumpkins, laughing ghouls and plastic spider webs. Alice liked Halloween as much as the next kid, but this was getting out of hand.

“Hatter, please, no more webs!” Alice brushed one out of her hair.

“It’s got to look spooky for tomorrow, love,” Hatter said absently. He was intently carving a pumpkin – his fourth – on the kitchen table using a pattern book he’d picked up at the market. The whole apartment smelled of pumpkin guts.

Alice sat down at the table and kept a wary eye out for stray strings of pumpkin goo. 

“I’m glad you’re all gung-ho about Halloween, Hatter, but you’re driving me crazy.”

Hatter looked up at her and gave her a grin. She couldn’t help but laugh when she saw he had several pumpkin seeds stuck in his hair.

“It’s our first party, Alice. I want it to be good.”

“It’ll be great. But if you keep buying decorations there won’t be room for any people in here.”

“You still haven’t told me your costume,” Hatter said, turning his attention back to the pumpkin.

“It’s a surprise.”

“You didn’t change your mind about the Leia costume?”

Hatter had decided almost immediately that he was going to be Han Solo for Halloween. He’d taken an immediate interest in the original Star Wars trilogy, and the character of Han Solo in particular. He told Alice it was because Han was a reckless rogue, but he still got the girl in the end. He’d been begging Alice to wear the slave Leia costume, but she’d flatly refused.

“No, I haven’t changed my mind. Besides, I thought you didn’t like me running around in my _scanties_.”

Hatter frowned at her. “It’s different on Halloween,” he argued.

“No,” Alice said firmly.

“Fine,” Hatter grumbled. He flicked a bit of pumpkin at Alice, who looked at him incredulously.

“Don’t start,” she warned. In response, Hatter threw a sticky pumpkin seed in her direction. Fighting back her disgust, Alice grabbed some stringy guts and flung them at Hatter. The battle was on!

It took Hatter an hour to clean the kitchen by the time they were done, but Alice more than compensated him for his time.

*o*o*o*

Lena was the last guest to arrive at the party, and when Alice answered the door she burst out into gales of laughter.

“Oh man, you are hilarious!” Lena looked Alice over from black top hat to baggy pants, and shook her head. “He must love you right now!”

“You have no idea,” Alice replied. She couldn’t help herself, really. When Hatter had brought up the idea of having a Halloween party, the first thing that popped into her head was that she wanted to dress up as the Mad Hatter. She knew it would annoy Hatter, and it was the polar opposite of the costume he’d wanted her to wear, but once she had the thought it wouldn’t go away. His response had been far less enthusiastic than Lena’s.

“What’re you supposed to be?” Alice asked, shutting the door behind her friend.

Lena was wearing a regular t-shirt and jeans, but around her waist hung several single-serve boxes of cereal. From the bag she carried she produced a full-size box of Frosted Mini Wheats with fake blood dripping from the knife that was impaled through it. This she placed on her head like a hat.

“I’m a cereal killer,” she grinned. She shared another laugh with Alice.

The apartment, already cluttered with countless decorations, seemed positively cramped now that everyone had arrived. Hatter had invited Edward, Daisy and Peter. Alice had invited her mother, Lena and Tim Roberts from the dojo. Everyone wandered around the apartment, admiring Hatter’s decorations and picking at the food he had set up on the kitchen table – punch, cheese and crackers, assorted candies, and finger sandwiches.

Hatter played the gracious host, making sure everyone had some punch and chatting with them. Alice had to admit he looked really good in his Han Solo costume – complete with authentic replica gun purchased off ebay. Alice caught his eye from across the room and smiled at him, but he only looked at her and shook his head; clearly he was still put out by her costume.

“So are you going to introduce me to everyone or what?” Lena asked. She looked appreciatively at Tim Roberts. “Is he single?”

“Yes. Again. He’s been divorced three times, Lena. Not a keeper.”

“Who said anything about keeping him?”

Alice groaned and dragged her friend over to be introduced to the rest of the guests, though she already knew Carol.

“Everyone, this is my friend Lena. The Cereal Killer.” Alice paused while everyone laughed and praised Lena for originality. “Lena, you know my mom.”

Carol was in a 1970s dress that looked fresh from the disco floor, and probably had been one she’d worn back in the day. She’d even put on platform shoes and glittery makeup.

“This is Daisy Waller and her boyfriend, Peter Scrim.”

Daisy and Peter had dressed up as Laurel and Hardy, to hilarious effect. Alice found herself grinning every time she saw them holding hands, considering herself as much a matchmaker as Hatter.

“Edward Jacobs, Hatter’s boss.”

Edward was dressed in classic vampire style, with the cape and the slicked back hair. Of course, beneath the cape he wore a Team Edward t-shirt; he was old enough to be Alice’s grandfather, but he had a secret passion for the Twilight vampire series.

“And Tim Roberts, who works with me at the dojo.”

Tim hadn’t put much thought into his costume. He’d simply worn his white gi and black belt. Alice didn’t know if Hatter planned on having a costume contest, but she was fairly sure Tim would be out of the running.

“Oh, I just _love_ your costume!” Daisy gushed, in typical fashion. “Cereal killer! That’s so _unique_!”

“Thanks,” Lena said. “You and your boyfriend look…adorable.”

“Oh, thank you! I didn’t even know who Laurel and Hardy were until I met Peter. He’s a _big_ fan.”

“That’s nice. Hey, Dave!” Lena went off to torment Hatter and Alice rolled her eyes.

“She hasn’t changed at all,” Carol remarked.

“I know,” Alice sighed. “She drives Hatter crazy.”

“Builds character,” Carol said with a grin.

*o*o*o*

As soon as the guests had eaten and mingled, Hatter gathered them all for games. Alice, who hadn’t been overly fond of the idea, had helped him narrow down a list he made from some internet searching; some of the games wouldn’t have worked in the limited space they had, and others were far too gross. Hatter started them off with something traditional.

“Time for apple bobbing!” he announced with a flourish.

“There goes my makeup,” Carol sighed.

There was a metal bucket, the kind you were supposed to put drinks in, on the coffee table. It was filled with cold water and apples, and there was a stack of hand towels at the ready. Hatter grinned like a little boy, his dimple flashing.

“We’ll go two at a time, and the first to get an apple wins,” he explained.

“You and Alice should go first,” Lena suggested. “Show us how it’s done.”

Alice was glad her hair was already done up in a bun. She took off the hat and stood opposite from Hatter at the bucket with her hands behind her back.

“On the three count, love?”

“Fine by me.”

Hatter counted them down and then Alice had her face in the cold, cold water, trying not to breathe it in while she attempted to get a grip on an apple. The darn thing kept rolling away, but she finally got one up against the side and bit into it. She raised her dripping face triumphantly, a second or two before Hatter did the same.

“Alice wins!” Lena cheered. “Me next. Tim, you want to have a go?”

Tim easily beat Lena, and Edward beat Carol. Daisy and Peter worked together and came up biting into the same apple. Once everyone had dried off, Hatter handed out little plastic skeleton necklaces to the winners.

They broke for more punch, and Alice noticed that it tasted a bit off. She grabbed Lena by the elbow.

“Did you spike the punch?” she hissed in Lena’s ear.

“It’s Halloween, Alice.”

“Hatter is going to kill you,” Alice said. She looked over at him, saw the narrow-eyed gaze he was giving her, and flashed him a big, fakey smile. “And then he’s going to kill me.”

“Oh, lighten up! I didn’t put in that much.”

Still, Alice surreptitiously switched over to water. And when Hatter announced the next game, he immediately singled out Lena.

*o*o*o*

“Now we’ll have the mummy game,” Hatter said. He held up two rolls of toilet paper. “Fastest team wins. Lena, you’ll be one of the mummies.”

Lena good-naturedly agreed, and Edward volunteered to be the other. Daisy suggested boys versus girls, so that’s how the teams fell out. When Hatter whistled, both teams got busy wrapping their “mummy” with toilet paper.

“I’m glad you guys use the soft stuff,” Lena commented.

While the men seemed to be randomly throwing toilet paper around Edward, the girls were a bit more organized. Daisy took the legs, Alice took the torso, and Carol covered arms and head. Under Carol’s leadership, the girls finished the game a good seven minutes before the boys.

“Oh my gosh, that was so much fun!” Daisy clapped her hands. Alice took a picture of both mummies before they were unwrapped, and Hatter brought out the prizes for the winning team – plastic bat rings. The girls immediately put them on, giggling.

“I guess we know which gender is the best,” Lena smirked.

“I guess I know who’s not getting invited to any more parties,” Hatter said under his breath; Alice heard him and grinned.

There was more punch to be had, and Alice could see that their friends were really starting to loosen up. She made sure Hatter knew she wasn’t drinking any – after the lecture he gave her the last time she got drunk, and totally humiliated herself, she planned to stay away from anything and everything alcoholic.

A discussion started up about scary movies as everyone relaxed around the living room, some on the couch, others on the floor. Alice kept her eye on Hatter, who was unfamiliar with most movies in the horror genre because that just wasn’t his thing. Hers either, but she had the benefit of years of soaking up pop culture.

“You can’t beat the classics,” Carol said. “ _The Haunting, The Uninvited_ …you didn’t have to see any blood or guts to be scared.”

“I agree.” Edward loosened the collar of his cape. “You get more out of a hint of movement than you do a bucket of blood.”

Tim waved them both off. “My money is on the slasher films. That’s a formula that just works. Michael Myers, Jason, Freddy Krueger…”

“Ewww,” Daisy put in. “Those movies are gross.”

“I’m partial to the ghost stories,” Peter said. “ _The Others_ was good. An interesting story with an excellent twist.”

“You want scary?” Lena asked. “I have one word for you. _Saw_.”

“That’s not scary,” Alice said. “It’s torture porn. They pile on the gore and that’s what scares you. There’s nothing subtle about those movies.”

“Why does it have to be subtle?” Tim asked. “The fear of the known can be just as frightening as the fear of the unknown.”

“Listen, the shower scene in _Psycho_ scared me way more than anything in _Saw_ , and they showed almost nothing.”

“Hitchcock was a genius,” Carol agreed.

“Where do you stand on all this, Dave?” Lena asked. Alice was surprised when he had a ready answer for her.

“The old monster movies. Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman. You know who the bad guys are, yeah? Take out the monster, save the girl.” Hatter grinned at Alice. She wanted to know when he’d watched monster movies, but didn’t want to ask in front of everyone.

“Which is your favorite?” Edward wanted to know.

“ _Young Frankenstein_ ,” Hatter replied. Alice didn’t know if he was trying to be funny, or if he didn’t realize it was a spoof movie, but everyone laughed and the discussion turned from horror flicks to the best of Mel Brooks.

*o*o*o*

It was after eleven when the last guest – Lena, of course – went home. Alice had to admit that the party had been a success. Their friends had mixed well, and everyone seemed to have had a good time. Daisy and Peter had won the best costume vote, which had been done by secret ballot, and took home a plastic pumpkin full of candy. Alice had taken pictures of everyone all dressed up, and a couple of the apartment all decorated; she had high hopes that they could start un-decorating in the morning.

“How’d we do?” Hatter asked, stretched out on the couch.

“Pretty good, I’d say. You throw a mean party, Hatter.”

“Thanks. I think.” Hatter closed his eyes. “Maybe we should do one next year as well.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure our apartment can take another year of party decorations. I don’t know what we’re even going to do with all the stuff you bought this year.”

Hatter shrugged one shoulder, indifferent. “Basement storage, love.”

“Well, I’m going to get changed,” Alice said. She headed for the bedroom.

“Yeah, take that bloody costume off. I’m right behind you,” Hatter said, though he made no move to get off the couch. Alice grinned.

“No, stay there. I’ll be right back. I have a surprise for you.”

Alice changed behind closed doors, and pulled her long hair into a braid that hung over her shoulder. She looked at herself in the mirror, making some minor adjustments, and had to agree that she looked pretty good. But only for an audience of one.

Hatter still had his eyes closed when Alice went back to the living room. She struck a sexy pose. “Hey.”

When Hatter opened his eyes, his mouth dropped open and he almost fell off the couch. Alice just smirked at him, glad she’d spent the extra money to rent the slave Leia costume after all.

“Feel like rescuing a damsel in distress?” Alice asked, quirking an eyebrow. Hatter was on his feet and across the room in record time, scooping her up in his arms.

“Is that a rental?” he asked.

“Yup.”

“We’re buying it. Tomorrow.” Hatter kissed her long and hard, and carried her back to the bedroom.

“You scruffy looking nerfherder,” Alice teased.

“Who’s scruffy looking?” Hatter asked, closing the bedroom door with his foot.

*o*o*o*

The following day, Hatter bought the costume. Just as he’d promised. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** I decided to make Hatter a Star Wars fan because I thought he’d like all the action and the good vs evil themes.


	19. Family Legacy

“You’ve been summoned,” Alice’s grandmother said without preamble. Alice stared at the phone for a minute.

“What?”

“Aunt Mattie wants to see you. She heard you’re getting married.”

“Crazy Aunt Mattie?” Alice was flabbergasted. The old woman refused to see anyone most of the time, and a summons from her was usually bad news.

“Don’t be rude,” Gram admonished. “She’s not crazy. Just…eccentric.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Why does she want to see me?”

“That’s between you and Aunt Mattie. She wouldn’t tell me.” Gram sounded a bit put out about that; Alice grinned. “She wants you to come as soon as possible, and to bring David with you.”

“Um…okay. I’ll have to check our schedules.”

“Call me back when you know. You can stay with Poppy and me while you’re here.”

“Thanks, Gram. I’ll call you back in a bit.” Alice hung up the phone, and stood staring at it for a few minutes. Hatter called her name twice before she snapped out of her reverie and looked up at him.

“Alice? What’s this about a crazy aunt?”

Alice sighed and set the phone down. She flopped down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. How to explain Aunt Mattie?

“She’s actually my great, great aunt. My grandmother’s mother’s sister. She’s old, 95 or 96, and…eccentric.” Alice shrugged. “I guess she wants to meet you. She heard we’re getting married.”

Hatter joined Alice on the couch, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her. “Eccentric?”

“She has conversations. With people who have died. She used to throw dinner parties for characters in books.” Alice had only met Aunt Mattie once, and that had been shortly after her father had gone missing. The old woman had resembled nothing more than a scarecrow, and had talked gibberish. It wasn’t a fond memory for Alice.

“Are we going?” Hatter asked. Alice shifted and laid her head on his shoulder.

“I guess we’ll have to. When Aunt Mattie summons you, it’s best to just go. She’ll raise holy hell otherwise.”

“This should be fun,” Hatter muttered.

“You have no idea,” Alice replied.

*o*o*o*

Aunt Mattie lived in a small ranch house, with a live-in nurse. The family had tried to convince her to move to an assisted care facility, but she’d flatly refused. The only concession she’d made to her advanced age was to sell her overly large home for one that was much smaller and easier to maintain; not to mention free of stairs.

The nurse, Joelle, opened the door and let Alice and Hatter in when they arrived. She was a petite woman who looked like she might blow over in a stiff breeze, but Alice had no doubt that she could hold her own against Aunt Mattie. Joelle had been her nurse for almost fifteen years.

“I’m so glad you made it!” Joelle said in hushed tones. “Your aunt has been driving me crazy! Ten times a day, she wants to know when Alice is coming.”

“I’m sorry,” Alice said. She wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for, but it felt like the right thing to say. Belatedly, she remembered she was supposed to make introductions.

“Hatter, this is Joelle, Aunt Mattie’s nurse. Joelle, this is my fiancé David Hatter.”

“My pleasure,” Hatter said. He and Joelle shook hands.

“Is that Alice?” a voice boomed from further inside the house. Hatter looked startled.

“How old did you say she was?”

Joelle grinned. “Old, but feisty. Follow me.”

Alice and Hatter followed Joelle into a back bedroom, which was dominated not by the enormous four-poster bed but by the tiny skeleton of a woman that sat up in the middle of it. Alice tried not to grimace; Aunt Mattie had clearly declined in the last few years.

“Are you Alice?” Aunt Mattie demanded to know. She peered at Alice from behind large round eyeglasses, her eyes a watery blue that was almost gray.

“This is your niece, Alice,” Joelle said in a raised voice. “She came like you asked her to.”

“Stop shouting, I’m not deaf!” Aunt Mattie turned her gimlet stare on her nurse. “Get out!”

“You want to watch your tone, old woman,” Joelle retorted. But she left the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

“It’s nice to see you, Aunt Mattie,” Alice said politely.

“Sit down,” Aunt Mattie said. “Both of you, right next to the bed.”

Alice and Hatter dragged two straight-backed chairs over to the side of the bed, and then sat there awkwardly for a moment. Hatter looked over at Alice and raised his eyebrows in question, but she just shrugged.

“What’s your name, boy?” Aunt Mattie asked, glaring at Hatter.

“David, m’am.”

“Hmmm. You don’t look like a David. What’s your surname?”

“My what?” Hatter asked, confused.

“Hatter,” Alice supplied. “His name is David Hatter.”

Aunt Mattie looked thoughtful, her already wrinkled face bunching up even more. “Is that so? Interesting.”

“Aunt Mattie, why…” Alice started to say, but her aunt interrupted her.

“You. Hatter. Fetch me that album off the dresser.”

Alice and Hatter shared a look, and then he went to get a large, leather-bound photo album. He set it on the bed in front of the old woman and sat back down, looking clearly uncomfortable. Alice took his hand in hers and squeezed it. She knew exactly how he felt.

Aunt Mattie opened the album and flipped to the third page. Photographs printed on thick cardboard were held down by black photo corners. She tapped one skeletal finger against a photo of a young girl with short, dark hair.

“This is the first Alice. Your great, great, great, great grandmother.”

Both Hatter and Alice leaned forward to get a better look. Alice had never seen a picture of this long-ago relative; she’d never been much interested in family history, instead expending all of her online research towards finding her father.

“I didn’t know I was named after someone in the family,” Alice said. There was a curious look on the girl’s face; she couldn’t have been more than eight or nine years old, but she seemed…different, somehow.

“Your father chose that name,” Aunt Mattie said. “He liked the story. Do you know it?”

“ _Alice in Wonderland_ , you mean?” Alice and Hatter exchanged an amused glance. “Yes. Daddy and I used to read it together.”

Aunt Mattie tapped the photograph again. “This is Alice. Alice Liddell.”

Alice looked up at her, shocked. Surely she wasn’t serious. 

“ _The_ Alice? That’s impossible.”

Aunt Mattie grinned, her dentures yellowed with age.

“What are talking about?” Hatter asked, looking from one woman to the other, confused.

“Aunt Mattie thinks this Alice is _the_ Alice. The one Lewis Carroll wrote the story about.”

Hatter gaped at her, then looked back down at the picture. Alice took another look as well. Surely it couldn’t be the same Alice; her father would have told her, wouldn’t he? When they were reading the book?

“Alice had four sons,” Aunt Mattie said. She began turning pages and pointing out other faces in the album. “Madigan was the youngest. His son was Lionel, the one who left.”

“Left?” Hatter asked.

“My father. He was embarrassed by the stories, by the notoriety. He thought his grandmother was insane. He left England and settled here, where no-one knew of the family history. Changed his name from Hargreaves to Hargrove.” Aunt Mattie had a faraway look in her eye now. “Just before the first Alice died, she sent him these photographs, and one other thing. To keep for the next Alice.”

“I don’t understand,” Alice said. She committed the names to memory; it would be easy enough to check Aunt Mattie’s story once she got back home.

“I was the oldest,” Aunt Mattie said, sadly. “Keeping great-grandmother’s things was my responsibility. And all these years we never had an Alice. Until you.”

“Aunt Mattie, someone would have told me if we were related to Alice Liddell.”

“Aren’t you listening, stupid girl?” Aunt Mattie frowned. “My father wanted to forget all about the first Alice, and the stories she would tell. We weren’t to talk about it, not ever. But my father was wrong to ask it of us. There was magic in the telling, you know.”

Once more Aunt Mattie had a distant look, clearly more in the past than she was in the present. Alice didn’t know if she should believe this crazy story. It was stretching credulity to think she was related to the first Alice, the Alice that brought down the House of Cards. The rightful Alice of Legend.

“What if she’s right?” Hatter whispered next to her ear.

“She can’t be,” Alice whispered back. “That’s insane! The whole thing is insane.”

“I’m not deaf!” Aunt Mattie snapped. “You. Hatter. Fetch that wooden box from the dresser.”

Hatter frowned but did as he was told, returning to the bedside this time with a shallow rectangular box made of polished wood with brass hinges. Aunt Mattie rested her hand on Hatter’s before he could pull away, and she grinned again; it was a fairly frightening expression on her wasted face. As delicately as possible, Hatter extricated his hand and sat back down.

Aunt Mattie stroked the lid of the box with one gnarled hand. “This was handed down to me from the first Alice. It was the only thing, besides the stories, that she brought back from her trip.”

In spite of herself, Alice leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. Her trip? Her trip to Wonderland? Aunt Mattie was certifiable, that much was apparent, but she told a compelling story.

The old woman opened the box, revealing a blue velvet interior. Resting in the center of the velvet was a lacy fan that had once been white and had faded now to a buttery yellow. Whatever Alice had been expecting, it certainly wasn’t a fan. She was disappointed, and feeling foolish because of it.

“What is that?” Hatter asked. His eyes were wide and he was pressed back against the chair. Alice looked at him, concerned.

“Are you okay, Hatter?”

“It’s the magic,” Aunt Mattie said. “He feels it. Because he’s what _you’ve_ brought back from _your_ trip.”

Alice looked between the two of them. “My trip?”

“Wonderland,” Aunt Mattie said with a gleeful flourish. She ran one thin finger carefully over the lacy folds of the fan. “You went there, like the first Alice did. She told that Charlie Dodgson all about it, and he went and wrote it down.”

“Is that…it’s the White Rabbit’s bloody fan, isn’t it?” Hatter asked. He scrambled out of the chair and went to stand behind it, as if he were afraid of a dainty, faded fan.

Aunt Mattie cackled. Alice went from concerned to alarmed.

“Hatter?”

“She’s telling the truth, Alice.” Hatter’s eyes were wide as saucers. “It’s all true.”

“No,” Alice said, but there was no strength behind it. She looked back at the fan, which seemed so ordinary there in the box. Hesitantly, she reached out her hand to touch it, then pulled it back.

“The magic belongs to you now,” Aunt Mattie said. She snapped the lid closed on the box. “I don’t know what you’re to do with it. I’m not sure the first Alice did either.”

The old woman set the box on top of the album, and pushed them both towards Alice. Hatter came out from behind the chair, eyeing the box every bit as warily as he did Aunt Mattie.

“Take it and go,” Aunt Mattie said. “Happy lives and all that. Joelle! Joelle, where’s my lunch?”

Alice scooped up the album and the box, and stood there for a moment just staring at her elderly relative. The whole visit seemed surreal, and she couldn’t quite believe it had even happened.

“Get out,” Aunt Mattie snapped. “And you tell Rose I need another box of chocolate cherries.”

“Okay,” Alice said. “Goodbye, Aunt Mattie.”

Alice turned to leave, Hatter’s hand on her shoulder.

“You. Hatter.” Aunt Mattie pointed one gnarled finger at him. “You’d best take care of this Alice.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hatter looked white as a sheet, and Alice couldn’t blame him. She wanted nothing more than to get out of this house. They made hasty goodbyes to Joelle and were soon back in the car, but Alice just sat there behind the wheel, her hands in her lap.

“I can’t believe this,” she said. She looked over at Hatter, and frowned at the expression on his face. It was a mix of fear and reverence, and she didn’t like it at all. 

“Stop looking at me like that!”

“Like what?” Hatter asked.

“Like that! Like I’m some sort of scary thing.”

“You’re related to the First Alice, love. It’s no small thing, that.” Hatter reached over and took one of her hands in his. “She took down the House of Cards when she was only seven, yeah?”

“So…what? Was it some kind of destiny or fate or something that sent me to Wonderland too?” Alice hated the thought of that, hated the idea that her life had been pre-ordained like that. It meant she had no real choices.

“I don’t know,” Hatter said. “Maybe your coming to Wonderland was a coincidence.”

“I don’t know what to think,” Alice admitted. She remembered being with Jack, how there was just something about him that had attracted her. Looking back on their relationship now, she could see that there was no passion there, nothing even close to what she shared with Hatter. So maybe it was the Wonderland in him that attracted her, something she recognized on a genetic level. And thinking like that was making her head hurt.

“This is nuts.” Alice started the car and pulled away from Aunt Mattie’s house. She hoped she never had to come back.

“What’ll we tell your grandparents?” Hatter asked. He cast a worried gaze into the backseat, where the box and the album lay. 

“We’ll tell them Aunt Mattie gave us the photo album and talked about Alice. Maybe my grandmother knows something more about it. But I don’t think we should mention the fan.”

“Yeah,” Hatter agreed. “We should put the bloody thing in the trunk.”

*o*o*o*

“These are wonderful pictures,” Alice’s grandmother said. She flipped through the photo album. “I’d forgotten that Aunt Mattie had these.”

Alice sat with her at the kitchen table. Hatter was in the backyard with her grandfather, learning the fine art of tossing horseshoes; the faint metallic clank made her smile.

“Aunt Mattie said I’m named after another Alice.”

“Really?” Rose shrugged. “That’s interesting.”

Alice wasn’t fooled. She was familiar with that particular tone of voice – it meant her grandmother knew something she didn’t want to talk about. Well, Alice was tired of family secrets and she wasn’t going to let her grandmother off the hook.

“We’re related to Alice Liddell. Aren’t we?”

Rose sighed. “Alice…”

“I want to know, Gram. Please.”

“It was a silly family secret, really. My mother wasn’t supposed to talk about her, but sometimes when I was a girl she’d tuck me into bed at night and tell me stories. Alice’s Wonderland stories. And tell me it was a secret, that I couldn’t tell anyone.”

“I don’t understand the secrecy,” Alice complained. “Why cover it up?”

“My grandfather didn’t want to have anything to do with that part of his family. We had to respect his wishes.”

“Did my father know?”

“No.” Rose flipped the album pages until she reached one towards the end. A baby picture of Robert, Alice’s father. She touched a fingertip to the picture. “No, he didn’t know. I read him the book, though. And he loved it; all the rhymes and silly songs. That’s why he named you Alice. Your mother wanted to name you Anna, but Robbie insisted.”

Alice sat back in her chair, thinking. It was ironic; her father had loved _Alice in Wonderland_ so much, and he’d eventually ended up in the world he’d read about so many times. Only when he was there he didn’t remember having loved it. She wondered what he would have thought about being related to Alice Liddell. 

Before she could give it any more thought, her grandfather and Hatter came in the back door, beers in hand and smiles on their faces. Alice let the warmth of that wrap around her for a moment, pushing everything else aside.

“David is a natural!” Al said, clapping Hatter on the shoulder. “What I wouldn’t give to have him on my team when tourney season rolls around.”

“You do just fine with Bob, Whitey and Sue,” Rose said. She closed the photo album and got to her feet. “I guess I should get dinner started. You boys must be hungry.”

“I’ll give you a hand, Gram,” Alice said. 

“Our cue to evacuate,” Al said to Hatter. “Let’s see if we can find a game on the TV.”

Hatter shot Alice a resigned smile and followed her grandfather out of the kitchen. She knew he wasn’t much interested in sports, but she was glad he was humoring her grandfather. Alice reminded herself that whatever her family history might be, what mattered was the family she had right now

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter sat on the front porch, on the swing that her grandfather had put up when Alice was still a little girl. Alice rested her head on Hatter’s shoulder. His arm was around her, his fingertips tracing circles on her arm. It was unseasonably warm for the first week in November and Alice wondered idly whether Hatter had ever seen snow. She thought maybe they’d take a trip Upstate, to Vermont maybe, and she could show him what Winter in her world was like.

“You okay, love?” Hatter asked after a while.

“Yeah. I’m still not sure what to think about this whole Alice thing, though.”

“You want to talk to your mum about it?”

Alice had considered that already, but had decided it wasn’t a good idea. “Gram said Dad didn’t know about the first Alice. If he didn’t, Mom sure doesn’t either. You know how she is about Wonderland. This would just freak her out. Hell, it’s freaking _me_ out.”

“Wish I knew more about her,” Hatter said. “What she did in Wonderland.”

“Everything I know is from the book. What stories do they tell about her in Wonderland?”

“They say Wonderland wasn’t the same after she left. She changed it somehow, beyond taking down the House of Cards. Took down one Queen and paved the way for another.” Hatter pulled her closer. “Not all the stories are good ones.”

“Charlie would probably know,” Alice said with a sigh. “I wish we could ask him.”

As always, thoughts of the White Knight made Alice smile wistfully. She’d been happy enough to leave Wonderland, but she hadn’t expected missing any of the people there. Besides Hatter. But Charlie was like a crazy uncle, or an eccentric grandfather, and she missed him. A lot.

“We’ll figure things out, Alice. Besides, it’s all in the past, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Alice agreed. “It is.”

They spent another half hour sitting on the swing in a companionable silence, sharing kisses and looking up at the starry sky. Alice didn’t know what she was going to do with the new found knowledge of her family legacy, but at that moment she didn’t much care. So what if her trip to Wonderland had been somehow predestined? It had led her to Hatter, and she wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** This was an idea J wanted me to explore. For the purposes of this story, I have given the First Alice (Alice Liddell) an extra son, which is where Robert Hamilton’s bloodline comes from. That way I won’t have to worry about slandering any living relatives. ::grins:: I should also like to point out that Alice Liddell was a brunette (thanks, Wikipedia!).


	20. Make A Wish

Alice’s dreams were troubled. She dreamed of ordinary things – shopping at the market, working at the dojo – but underneath all of it was a sense of urgency, of something that needed to be done. And always there was a little girl; a solemn girl with dark brown hair that would stand half in the shadows and watch her, saying nothing.

With a gasp, Alice woke. Though it was almost five in the morning, the room was dark; the days were growing shorter, a time of year Alice always disliked. Beside her, the bed was empty. She rubbed her hands over her face, chasing away the last bit of sleep, and slipped out of bed.

Hatter was in the kitchen, sitting at the table still in the flannel pants and t-shirt he’d worn to bed. The box that Aunt Mattie had given them a week ago was on the table, closed. At Hatter’s request she’d tucked it deep into the bedroom closet, anxious about the reaction he was having to it. She now found it extremely alarming to see him sitting there with it in the dark.

“Hatter? What are you doing?” Alice went to stand behind him, draping herself over his shoulders.

“Couldn’t sleep.” Hatter reached up to clasp Alice’s wrists. “We need to find a different place to keep this…thing.”

“Why does it bother you so much?” Alice asked, not for the first time. But this time she didn’t get a shrug and a vague answer.

“I’ve never felt anything like it,” Hatter said. “It feels like Wonderland, but completely wild. Yeah? It’s got power. I feel like I should know what it’s for. I don’t.”

Hatter sounded frustrated, and Alice pressed a kiss on his cheek. She was sorry Aunt Mattie had ever given them the stupid fan; she thought about her dreams and wondered if they were somehow related to it.

“Basement storage,” she said. “Let’s go.”

Alice grabbed the box and Hatter followed her out to the living room. She slipped into her sneakers, but Hatter padded along barefoot behind her as they went out the door and down five flights of stairs to the basement. Alice flicked on the fluorescent light, revealing two rows of wire cages with locks on the doors – storage units for each apartment above them.

The storage unit for their apartment was only half full, and consisted mostly of boxes of Halloween decorations. Alice spun the padlock around to the proper combination, then swung open the door. She set the wooden box that contained the White Rabbit’s fan on top of a cardboard box in the back, the farthest spot she could reach. She closed the door and locked it up, stepping back into Hatter’s arms.

“That should do it,” she said.

“Thank you, love,” Hatter murmured in her ear.

“We’ll figure it out, Hatter.” Alice closed her eyes. “We will.”

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter stood in front of Carol’s apartment, sharing a lingering embrace. They were there to celebrate Alice’s birthday, and Hatter was excited to finally be able to experience a real Oyster birthday. Alice and Carol had done a lot of planning behind his back to make it especially memorable.

The door swung open and Carol stood there, smirking at them. “Were you planning on making out in the hall all night?”

Alice laughed and gave her mother a hug. Hatter followed suit, and gave Carol a kiss on the cheek as well. Then he could only stand there, stunned, while Alice and Carol shared a grin behind his back.

The living room was festooned with balloons, streamers, and a big Happy Birthday David sign. A small pile of packages were stacked up on the coffee table. Carol picked up a pointed Spiderman party hat from the round table next to the door and put it on Hatter’s head, slipping the elastic under his chin.

“Happy birthday, David!” Carol said cheerfully.

“It’s not…it’s Alice’s birthday,” Hatter protested.

Alice linked arms with her mother. “We decided, since you aren’t sure when your birthday is, that you could share mine with me.”

A wide grin spread across Hatter’s face. “Is there cake, then?” he asked eagerly. Carol laughed.

“After dinner. Which is just about ready.”

The dining room table had been laid out with fancy plates and crystal wine glasses, but right in the center was a cardboard Happy Birthday sign in the shape of a cake with shiny blue ribbons coming out of it. Alice couldn’t remember the last time she’d looked so forward to a birthday.

“Can I help with dinner?” Hatter asked. 

“Nothing to help with. You just sit down, I’ll be right out.” Carol disappeared into the kitchen.

“What’s she making?” Hatter asked. Alice shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’ll be good, whatever it is.”

Alice was right, and Hatter wasn’t disappointed. Carol had made homemade pizza, loaded with veggies the way Hatter liked it. He seemed astounded that Carol had gone through all the trouble just for him.

“You made this?” he asked for the fifth time, looking at the half-eaten slice in his hand. “It’s delicious.”

“If you like, one night when we’re both free I can show you how,” Carol offered with a smile.

“What about me?” Alice asked indignantly. Carol rolled her eyes.

“How many times have I offered to teach you to cook? You always had something more important to do.”

Alice couldn’t argue with that. Why learn to cook, when her mother was already capable and happy to do it? It was lucky for her that Hatter was such a good cook too.

“Not too late to learn, love.”

“Tell you what, Hatter. Have Mom teach you, and then you can teach me.” And really, cooking lessons with Hatter were much more fun. Of course, they usually ended up with half-cooked or over-cooked food because they got distracted by…other things. It was the very best kind of cooking lesson.

“Have you two given any thought to where you want to get married?” Carol asked. Hatter and Alice exchanged shrugs.

“We haven’t talked about it,” Alice said around a mouthful of pizza.

“What I mean is…I wasn’t sure…” Carol stumbled over her words. Alice rarely saw her so uncomfortable.

“Mom?”

“It’s just…I didn’t know if you wanted to get married here. Or…or there.”

“You mean Wonderland?” Hatter asked. Carol nodded, her cheeks flushed. Alice just shook her head. Would that subject always be a problem for her?

Hatter set down his pizza. “We’d like to get married here. In the city.”

“Oh. Okay, well that’s good.” Carol looked incredibly relieved. “I’d have had a hard time explaining that to the relatives.”

“This wedding is for us,” Alice said, feeling a bit irritated by her mother’s attitude. “I don’t care what the relatives have to say.”

“Well, no, I know that –”

“And if Hatter wants to get married there, then that’s where we’ll go.”

“Alice.” Hatter reached over and put his hand on her arm. “Don’t let’s pick a fight, yeah? I’ve no desire to go back.”

“Well, I’m just saying.” Alice could hear that she sounded like a pouting teenager, and reluctantly grinned. “Sorry.”

“We doing presents soon?” Hatter asked. Carol laughed, and the tension was broken.

“Let’s finish up this pizza, then we’ll do presents and cake.”

*o*o*o*

Carol had Alice and Hatter sit side by side on the couch, and she handed out the presents one by one. The first for Alice was a basic level cookbook, the kind they made for children. Alice took the ribbing good-naturedly. Hatter received a cookbook as well, a more advanced book that featured typical American dishes.

“This is brilliant!” Hatter said, flipping through the cookbook to look at the pages. “Meatloaf. Hmmm.”

“And this is something for the both of you,” Carol said, handing Alice an envelope. Inside was a certificate for a weekend stay at a resort in the Berkshires.

“Wow! Thanks, Mom!”

“You’re welcome. My friend Sally has a time share up there, and she arranged it for me. I thought David might like to go up when they have some snow.”

Hatter looked up from his cookbook. “Snow?”

Alice kissed his cheek. “You remember, we talked about that. The white stuff that falls from the sky.”

“Oh. Oh, yeah. We’ll get to see some then?”

Carol laughed at the excitement in his voice. “Believe me, you’ll be sick of it by the time Spring comes around again.”

“Mine next!” Alice said. Carol handed her a brightly wrapped box, which she in turn handed to Hatter.

“My own music box?” He turned the little black iPod over in his hands.

“I put all of your favorite songs on it,” Alice said.

“Thanks, love! It’s perfect!” Hatter tucked the iPod back in the box and pulled Alice to him for a quick kiss. Then it was his turn to give Alice her present, and he looked fairly anxious about it. But then, he usually looked anxious when giving Alice presents.

Alice pulled the paper off and found herself holding a very old, leather bound book. She wasn’t sure what to say, until Hatter flipped open the cover and showed her the title page.

_A History of Wonderland: From Alice to the Second Uprising_

She looked at the bottom of the page and saw that it had been printed by Toad and Tortoise Publishing, Wonderland City. Alice gaped at Hatter.

“Where did you get this?”

Hatter grinned at her, clearly happy with her reaction to the book. “Peter. I told you he was bloody brilliant with the old books.”

“But how?”

“Dunno. Someone had to have brought it over. Peter found it at an auction, moldering away in a box with other obscure books. He saved it for me.”

Carol held her hand out and Alice passed her the book. “Does your friend Peter know about…all of this?”

Hatter shook his head. “No. But he gets the Hatter and Alice thing. You know.”

Carol nodded. She passed the book back to Alice, who held it reverently in her hands. She didn’t need Hatter to tell her why he’d given her this book. Now they would have a place to start looking for more information about the first Alice, and maybe what they were supposed to do with the fan. Trust him to find the perfect thing!

Alice threw her arms around Hatter. “Thank you, Hatter!”

“Okay, kids. One more.” Carol passed another envelope, this one to Hatter. “It’s from Gram and Poppy.”

Hatter opened the envelope and slid out the card. When he opened that, a check fell out into his lap. He looked at it, then shot his gaze at Carol.

“What is this?” 

“Read the card,” Carol suggested. 

“Hatter? What’s wrong?”

Hatter read the card out loud. “Dearest Alice and David. We have been saving this for a long time, and now is the right time to give it to you. You’re father isn’t here to do this for you, Alice, and so we have taken that responsibility. We want you two to use it however you like, though some of it is meant for your wedding. We’re so happy you found each other. Happy birthday. All our love, Gram and Poppy.”

“They sent money?” Alice asked. “How much?”

Hatter wordlessly passed her the check. Alice stared at it for a long time, then looked up at her mother.

“Did you know about this?”

“Your grandmother called me last week. She wanted to be sure she explained the situation to me, so that you didn’t send the money back.”

“But, Mom.” Alice looked back at the check, then over at Hatter. “It’s $10,000.”

“Yes, it is. And if you use some of that to have your perfect wedding you’ll make them very happy.” Carol smiled wistfully. “They’ve always felt so badly about your father. This is there way of stepping up for him.”

Alice felt tears pricking behind her eyes. She stood and went to her mother, wrapping her in a hug. She felt another set of arms when Hatter came over.

“Group hug?” he said. And that had them all laughing. 

“We’re going to have the best wedding this city ever saw!” Alice said.

“Yes, well, let’s not get carried away, love.”

Carol brushed the tears from her face and gave first Alice and then Hatter a kiss. “I’ll get the cake.”

“That’s so much money,” Alice said. She gave Hatter the check to put in his pocket. “Now we really need to make some wedding plans.”

“Plan what you like,” Hatter said. “As long as you’re my wife at the end of it all.”

They shared a nice, long kiss before Carol came back in with the cake, candles flickering. Hatter laughed delightedly when he saw the cake had been made to resemble his porkpie hat.

“Okay, now you two each make a wish and blow out the candles,” Carol said. She pulled her little digital camera from her pocket and started taking pictures.

“All this and a wish as well?” Hatter asked. 

“And you can’t tell what your wish is or it won’t come true,” Alice said. She laughed as Hatter squinched his eyes shut, clearly thinking hard. She had to think as well. What could she possibly wish for that she didn’t already have? Forever, she thought. I wish this happiness would last forever.

Alice and Hatter held hands, and when Carol counted them down from three they each took a deep breath and blew the candles out. And hoped their wishes would come true.


	21. Thankful

They sat on the roof of Carol’s friend Casey’s apartment building, bundled up against the cold, misty rain. Despite the less than desirable weather, Hatter was riveted. His mouth hung open and his eyes were wide. They were almost eye level with the next balloon that went floating by, this one a giant SpongeBob SquarePants. It was Hatter’s first Thanksgiving parade.

Down below on the sidewalks people were shoulder to shoulder; they had a better view of the floats, but Alice had always preferred the balloons. Besides, Casey had a portable TV up on the roof, under cover from the rain, so that they could see what was happening on street level.

“How can your mum miss all this?” Hatter asked. He sipped from his thermos of tea.

“She prefers watching it on TV,” Alice replied. She pulled her fleece blanket further up under her chin. “Besides, someone has to be home when Aunt Patty and Aunt Viv get in.”

“Your Aunt Patty is in town?” Casey asked. Between her snugglie and her knit cap, only her eyes and nose were visible. “I haven’t seen her in years.”

“Mom invites her every year, but she’s always too busy.” Alice shrugged. “I think she’s only coming now to meet Hatter.”

“I hope I don’t disappoint,” Hatter replied with a grin.

Alice just rolled her eyes. Conversation dropped off for a while as they watched more of the parade. And then Alice was leaning forward, watching the TV. She tugged on Hatter’s arm.

“There he is! There’s Santa!”

“Parade’s all done,” Casey said. She was already on her feet, gathering up her blankets and her coffee. “Bring the TV down when you’re done, kids.”

“Thanks, Casey,” Alice said.

Hatter was closely studying the television screen, which was in a close-up of Santa waving at the kids. Even though she wasn’t a kid herself anymore, Alice always got a little thrill when Santa closed out the parade each year.

“He’s the one that brings presents, yeah?” Hatter asked.

“Yup. For me, the Christmas season officially starts tomorrow. Black Friday.” Alice shut off the TV and wrapped it up in plastic to protect if from the rain. 

“Sounds ominous.” Hatter hefted the television set and followed Alice, who had grabbed everything else.

“It’s not. It’s supposed to be the biggest shopping day of the year. I usually start my Christmas shopping then.” Alice held open the door for Hatter, then followed him into the elevator.

“Shall I come with?”

“I can’t shop for you if you’re with me, Hatter,” Alice said. 

“Fine, then. I’ll go on my own.” Hatter gave her a pouty face, which just made her laugh. She leaned across the TV and kissed him.

*o*o*o*

Alice gave her mother’s door a perfunctory knock before walking in; she held it open for Hatter, who was carefully carrying the two pies he’d made. The smells wafting out of the kitchen were enough to make her mouth water – turkey, onions and pumpkin pie.

“Alice!” A woman with short-cropped blonde hair came running, and crushed Alice into a tight hug. Alice hugged her back, laughing.

“Aunt Patty!”

“You look wonderful, darling,” Aunt Patty said. She held Alice out at arm’s length and gave her a looking over. “Your fiancé must be good in bed.”

Alice flushed, and heard Hatter choking behind her. That drew Aunt Patty’s attention, and she abandoned Alice to take a closer look at Hatter.

“You must be David.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Hatter said politely. 

“Of course it is,” Patty said. Alice rolled her eyes and smiled at Hatter over her aunt’s shoulder. “You look like you’ll do.”

“Thank you?” Hatter said uncertainly.

“Leave them alone, Patty.” Another woman came into the room. She was taller than Aunt Patty, and thinner, with curly salt and pepper hair.

“Hey, Aunt Viv!” Alice gave her a hug. “Help me save Hatter?”

“You don’t need to save him, darling,” Aunt Patty said. “He looks quite capable.”

“Well, I can help you with these anyway.” Aunt Viv took the pies from Hatter and headed back towards the kitchen. “Dinner’s almost ready, kids.”

Aunt Patty took Alice by the arm and moved her towards the sofa. “I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to. Leave nothing out and start with David.”

“I think I’ll just go help Carol,” Hatter said. He practically ran from the room.

“You’re scaring him,” Alice scolded. 

“He’s a big boy,” Aunt Patty said dismissively. “Is he good to you? Are there any problems with the sex, because I’d be happy to give him some pointers.”

“Aunt Patty, please stop talking about sex. You’re going to embarrass him.” Alice herself was embarrassed, even though Aunt Patty had been trying to advise her on her sex life since she was eighteen.

“So no problems then?”

“No. No problems.”

“Well I’m glad of that, anyway. How did you meet him?”

Alice went with the stock answer, the one she told everyone. Jack had cheated on her, and she’d sworn she was through with men. And then Hatter had saved her from being mugged, had in fact saved her life, and there was just something about him that made her take a second look. Carol hadn’t been in favor of adding the whole mugging scenario, but Alice insisted that Hatter get at least some of the credit he was due. Besides, it just made for a better story.

“Very heroic,” Aunt Patty mused. “Smells like bullshit, but it’s a nice story.”

Alice merely shrugged. “It is what it is.”

She was saved from further explanation by the return of Aunt Viv, who was wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. “The chef has informed me that dinner is ready.”

Everyone pitched in, carrying platters, bowls and serving utensils from the kitchen to the dining room table. The pies were arranged on the sideboard for after dinner, and Alice was already telling herself not to eat too much so she’d save plenty of room.

Hatter carried out the pomegranate-glazed turkey, which fairly gleamed in the light. Alice swore her tongue was literally going to fall out of her mouth. It being Hatter’s first Thanksgiving, Carol had really gone all out – chestnut stuffing, skin-on mashed red potatoes, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, buttered mashed turnips, and green bean casserole. Not to mention Alice’s favorite, cranberry sauce from a can.

“Wow, everything looks great Mom!” Alice set down the bowl of stuffing and took her place at the table next to Hatter.

“It’s like the first Thanksgiving, yeah?” Hatter said. Alice looked at him, her eyebrow quirked up as she waited to see where he was going with that.

“How so?” Aunt Viv asked, looking interested.

“It’s like two cultures coming together,” Hatter elaborated. “I’d be the Pilgrims, knowing nothing of your customs.”

“Are you saying we’re the Indians?” Aunt Patty didn’t sound amused.

“You’re supposed to say Native Americans,” Carol corrected.

“Who the hell is going to care, CeeCee?”

Hatter looked confused. “CeeCee?”

“Aunt Patty calls her that because her initials used to be C.C. Carol Caggiano,” Alice explained.

Carol shook her head. “Patty calls me that because she knows it irritates me.”

“What else is a little sister for?” Aunt Patty asked sweetly.

“How does Viv fit in? Youngest? Oldest?” Hatter asked. Everyone stopped and stared at him for a minute, and then Patty burst out laughing.

“You didn’t tell him? Oh, that’s precious!” Aunt Patty clapped her hands together. “Even after all these years you still can’t say it, can you CeeCee?”

Hatter leaned over and whispered in Alice’s ear. “Did I just start something?”

Alice shook her head. “They always get into it like this,” she whispered back. She would have explained it to Hatter ahead of time, but she honestly hadn’t thought about it. She’d forgotten how Aunt Patty could be sometimes.

“Viv isn’t related to CeeCee and me,” Aunt Patty said. “She’s my wife. My homosexual life partner. My lesbian lover.”

“Patty, really!” Carol exclaimed.

Even Aunt Viv was flushing. “Patty, not now.”

“Yes, now! David is going to be part of the family and he needs to know what he’s getting into. I’m surprised CeeCee didn’t warn him ahead of time about the faulty genes.” Aunt Patty’s face had gone red, and she glared at Carol. Hatter watched with wide eyes.

“Enough!” Alice snapped. She stood up and put both hands on the table. “Mom, Aunt Patty is gay. Aunt Patty, we don’t care. Really. It’s Hatter’s first Thanksgiving and I’d just like to get to the eating part.”

“Well said, Alice.” Aunt Viv glared at Aunt Patty. “I’m sure we can all be adults, at least for one day.”

“Fine,” Carol said sullenly.

“She’s the one with the problem,” grumbled Aunt Patty.

“Maybe you should give the blessing,” Aunt Viv said to Alice.

“Yeah, okay.” Alice sat back down, clasped Hatter’s hand in hers and bowed her head. “We are thankful to be together. _As a family_. We are thankful for the food we have to eat. We are thankful for every small and wonderful thing that comes into our lives. And I am incredibly thankful that the man sitting beside me loves me, which he will hopefully continue to do after today. Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone echoed. Hatter gave Alice a quick grin, and then began to pass around the food.

“Make sure Alice gets a drumstick,” Aunt Patty said.

“I don’t want the drumstick,” Alice objected. “I only like the white meat.”

“Can’t fight tradition, darling. Youngest gets the leg.”

Alice grudgingly took the leg, which Hatter promptly slid off of her plate and on to his. “You took it, love. No-one said you had to eat it.”

“Have I mentioned how much I love you?” Alice asked. She gave Hatter a kiss.

“Geez, get a room,” Aunt Patty complained. But her eyes were twinkling, and for the remainder of the meal she was nothing but pleasant.

*o*o*o*

After dinner everyone gathered in the living room for the annual viewing of Laurel and Hardy’s _March of the Wooden Soldiers_ – a Caggiano family tradition. It was a good time to sit and relax and make room for pie, which would come after. Alice sat snuggled up to Hatter, grinning every time he laughed at something in the movie.

When it was time for pie, Carol made a big fuss over the two that Hatter had made – apple cranberry and pecan. The pecan had come out a bit runny, but even Aunt Patty seemed impressed.

“He cooks too? You’re a keeper, aren’t you.”

Hatter chuckled. “It’s either keep me or Alice has to do her own cooking. I figure that’s an easy choice.”

“It’s true,” Alice said, nodding. “If he couldn’t cook, I’d have tossed him out by now.”

“Like he’d go,” Carol laughed.

“Alice, have you decided where you’re going to get married?” Aunt Viv asked, scooping some whipped cream on top her pie. “It’s April third, right? Aunt Patty and I will definitely fly back for that.”

“You could come to California to get married,” Aunt Patty said. “Weather will be nicer.”

Alice shook her head. “No, thanks. We’re going to get married here in the city, in Central Park. At the Bow Bridge.”

“That’s the bridge at the end of that movie, _You’ve Got Mail_ ,” Carol said.

Aunt Viv nodded but Aunt Patty snorted.

“I couldn’t watch that whole movie. It was mind-numbing.”

Aunt Viv shook her head. “You don’t have a romantic bone in your body.”

“ _Sleepless in Seattle_ was better,” Carol put in. 

“More fluffy tripe,” Aunt Patty said dismissively. “And we’re getting off topic. So you’ll be married on a bridge? What about the reception?”

“We were able to get the Boathouse!” Alice was excited about that. It was a tough place to book because everyone wanted to use it, but luck had been with them. Luck, and the money her grandparents had given them. Getting married in Central Park was far from cheap, particularly with all the permits you had to pay for. But she wanted everything to be perfect, and so far it was really coming together.

“They booked you?” Carol asked. “Oh, sweetie, that’s great! I know how much you wanted it.”

“A boat house?” Aunt Patty asked. 

“ _The_ Boathouse,” Alice clarified. “It’s right on the water, and the view is beautiful.”

What she couldn’t say, at least not in front of her aunts, was how she had chosen those two sites based largely on the symbolism they had for her. The Bow Bridge, which spanned the lake and was backed by the Rambles, seemed to encapsulate Wonderland for her. The ledges, the lake, the Forest of Wabe. It evoked memories of the many ways Hatter had helped her, how their relationship had begun. The Boathouse put her in mind of Hatter’s little smuggling boat, when he’d first announced his intention to return to her world. She hadn’t even told Hatter, for fear it would all sound foolish if she said it out loud.

“It’ll be right lovely in April,” Hatter said. “Flowers coming up and all.”

“It sounds like it will be beautiful,” Aunt Viv said with a smile. “When are you sending out the invites?”

“January.” Alice nibbled on her pumpkin pie. “We’re not inviting many people, just about twenty or so. We want to keep it intimate.”

“How’s that going to go over with the Hamiltons?” Aunt Patty asked. “They’re a big clan.”

“It’ll be fine,” Carol said. “I’ve already talked to Rose and she agrees that Alice should have the size wedding she wants. I don’t think all the second and third cousins are going to mind, honestly.”

“It’s going to be perfect,” Alice said. She leaned over to steal a kiss from Hatter. “We could get married on a garbage scow and it would still be perfect.”

“Well, let me know if you make the change,” Aunt Patty said. “I’m not flying in to be surrounded by garbage and seagulls.”

*o*o*o*

It was well after eleven when Alice and Hatter got back to their apartment. Alice felt a little guilty leaving her mother with Aunt Patty for the night, but she knew Aunt Viv would keep them from killing each other. Right now all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and not think about the ridiculous amounts of food she’d eaten.

“Are all your Thanksgivings like this, love?” Hatter asked as he got changed for bed.

“No. Aunt Patty doesn’t usually come, and she’s the troublemaker.”

“I’m sorry for that.” Hatter flipped his hat up onto the shelf. “I didn’t mean to cause a row.”

Alice smiled at him. “You didn’t. Honestly. Aunt Patty just likes to fight, and she knows my mom is uncomfortable with the whole lesbian thing.”

“I don’t know why. Doesn’t seem so unusual.”

“It’s not so much now, but it used to be quite a stigma. And Aunt Patty has always been very vocal and up-front about it. Made it hard for Mom sometimes.” Alice finished getting changed and flopped down on the bed with a happy sigh. “Anyway, we don’t see her much.”

Hatter shut off the light and got into bed, pulling Alice close against him.

“You know what I’m thankful for, love?” he asked. 

“Tell me,” Alice said.

“I’m thankful for Jack.”

Alice pushed herself up on her elbow and looked down at Hatter in disbelief. “Jack? Seriously?”

“Seriously. If he hadn’t mucked things up with you, I’d never have met you.” Hatter pulled her down for a kiss. “I love you, Alice.”

“I love you too, Hatter.” Alice snuggled back in close to him. And she was thankful for that in and of itself – that she had this man to hold her close and love her so completely. She guessed she owed Jack for that as well.

“Thank you, Jack,” she whispered under her breath.


	22. Christmas Nazi

Alice had gone round the bend and Hatter didn’t know what to do about it. No amount of rational conversation seemed to get through to her, and appealing to her mum had been useless; she was used to this kind of behavior, it seemed. There was nothing for it but to just go along and hope the madness would end soon.

“Hatter, your end is too low,” Alice said. She frowned at him from the other end of the living room. They were hanging up some of that sparkly red garland, and Alice was very particular about the loops being even. Hatter sighed and adjusted his section. Again.

“It looks fine, love,” Hatter said. 

“It has to be perfect, Hatter.” Alice stuck in another thumbtack, then climbed off the chair to take another look. She sighed and shook her head. “It’s still not right.”

“We’ve been at this for an hour,” Hatter complained. His arm was starting to hurt, and he desperately wanted a cup of tea.

“This is our best decorative wall, and it has to look good,” Alice explained patiently. She got back up on the chair and started making adjustments. Hatter resigned himself to spending the rest of the day standing there with his arm extended. It was strange – in all the reading he’d done about Christmas, it didn’t say anything about this form of torture.

“Can we have lunch?” Hatter asked hopefully.

“When we’re finished. Lift your side up just a tiny bit more. Good.” Alice took another look. “Okay, now we can put on the bows.”

Hatter gratefully lowered his arm, which now had all the strength of a wet noodle. He looked at the delicate silver bows in Alice’s hands and shook his head.

“You better do that part, love. Too little for me.”

“That’s okay, Hatter. You can put the window clings up.”

“The what?”

Alice set down the bows and handed Hatter three large sheets of plastic holiday-themed scenes. “These get stuck to the windows. Only the front ones, though. And don’t clump them all together. Make sure it looks nice.”

Hatter looked down at the sheets and sighed. “No lunch?”

“As soon as we’re done. I promise.”

Hatter watched Alice attach the first little bow, bending it this way and that until it looked the way she wanted. It was going to be a long month.

*o*o*o*

Hatter came home from work and sank down on the couch, exhausted. With the Christmas season underway, the hat shop had been incredibly busy. The Tea Room was up and running now, and it had become quite popular in a short time. Splitting his time between the shop and the Tea Room had kept him on his feet all day.

“Oh, you’re home!” Alice leaned over the back of the couch and gave Hatter a kiss. “Good, go get changed.”

Hatter groaned. “For what?”

“Don’t you remember? We’re having dinner with Peter and Daisy, and then going to the show at Radio City.”

Another groan. Yes, he had forgotten.

“Oh, and remind me to program the DVR. _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ is on tonight, and I don’t want you to miss it.”

Hatter was beginning to hate the DVR. There seemed to be an unending stream of Christmas films playing this month and Alice wanted him to watch them all. They were all the same – some songs, some slapstick, and a happy ending. If Hatter was going to have to watch a Christmas film, he’d rather it be _Die Hard_.

“Come on, Hatter!” Alice tugged him off the couch. “We’re going to be late!”

“Do we have to?” Hatter shuffled to the bedroom, where Alice had already laid out his clothes on the bed.

“Of course we do! We already have the tickets. You’ll love it! I promise.”

Hatter sighed and got dressed. He even washed his face and combed his hair, and when Alice gave him a once over she nodded. 

“You look good. Okay, let’s get going.” She pulled on a black wool coat over her silver and blue dress before Hatter had much chance to admire it. As he pulled his own coat back on, he noticed something hanging over the front door.

“What’s that?” he asked. Alice looked up and smiled.

“It’s mistletoe,” she explained. “When you’re underneath it, you get a kiss.”

“Why?” Hatter asked. Alice shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s tradition.”

Hatter was quite familiar with tradition. Everything Alice did to decorate or prepare for Christmas was a tradition of some kind. To his mind, it seemed that whenever Alice didn’t have a good reason for doing something, she fell back on calling it a tradition. Still, this one sounded promising, and so he moved to stand directly under the bundle of green leaves.

“Do I get my kiss now?”

Alice moved into Hatter’s arms and gave him a very thorough kiss, which revived him as nothing else could. But before he could work his way under that coat of hers, Alice had already moved past him out into the hall.

“Let’s go!”

Hatter let out a puff of air, and resigned himself to the long evening ahead.

*o*o*o*

Hatter had come to the conclusion that the actual day of Christmas must be quite extraordinary, if only to make up for the agony of the preparation he was forced to participate in. And honestly, it had better well be the best day of the year if Alice expected him to ever go through this again.

Holly jolly Christmas songs played on endless repeat through the living room speakers while Hatter wrestled with the Christmas tree lights. After a ridiculously lengthy internal debate, Alice had finally determined that they were better off with a fake tree because a real one, while superior, would be too much of a fire hazard. Then, of course, she’d dragged Hatter all over the city looking for the fake tree that was most like a real tree.

So far Hatter’s only contribution to the holiday decorations was the mistletoe that now hung in every doorway of the apartment. It had been fun the first day he’d surprised Alice with it, but then she was back to being too busy to pause every few minutes for a kiss.

“Hatter! Stop!” Alice came through the front door with a box full of ornaments and the expression on her face had Hatter freezing in place.

“What? What is it?” He looked fearfully over his shoulder, wondering what had Alice sounding so frantic. A rat? A snake?

“You can’t put the lights on like that!” Alice set down the boxes and hurried over to snatch them out of his hands. “They have to go _around_ the tree, not up it.”

“What difference does it make?”

Alice glared at him. “It makes all the difference! When you put the lights around the wires are less obtrusive. You want to see the lights, not the wires.”

Hatter just shook his head. This was a side of his Alice that he was starting to actively dislike. He knew she expected a certain amount of perfection from herself, particularly in martial arts, but this was beyond the pale. Getting all worked up over some twinkly lights? It was absurd. Still, he helped her set the tree to rights and so the next phase of torture could begin.

“Don’t put two reds so close together,” Alice advised. Hatter forced himself to take a deep breath, and removed one of the offending shiny Christmas balls off the branch. 

“Try to hang some inside. The lights will catch it and reflect back. It’ll be pretty.”

Hatter nodded and moved his ornament to a different location on the tree. He thought it better not to argue. And it was stupid, really, getting into a fight over a shiny ball. That’s what he kept telling himself, anyway. What he really wanted to do was smash the bloody things.

“Don’t put so many on one branch,” Alice said.

“That’s it,” Hatter said. “I’m done with this.”

He tossed the two ornaments he had in his hand back in the box, and smiled just a bit when he heard at least one of them crack. Alice stared at him with wide eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Me?” Hatter narrowed his eyes. “What’s wrong with _you_? I thought this Christmas thing was supposed to be fun, but you don’t give me a moment’s peace! It’s always movies and songs and you criticizing everything I do!”

Alice looked at him with tears in her eyes and he felt a right git for yelling at her, but honestly, how much more was he supposed to suffer?

“I just wanted it to be perfect for you,” Alice said stiffly. She set her ornaments down much more carefully and walked off to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

  
_It's the most wonderful time of the year_   
_There'll be much mistletoeing_   
_And hearts will be glowing_   
_When loved ones are near_   
_It's the most wonderful time of the year_   


Hatter turned to glare at the stereo. Stupid bloody holiday. Things had certainly been much easier in Wonderland; no-one there felt the need to turn random days into holidays, and force merriment and cheer on everyone. He allowed himself another five minutes to grumble before he sighed and went to apologize.

“Alice?” Hatter cautiously opened the door, in case she felt like throwing something at him, but he found her sitting on the bed with a pillow clutched to her chest. The sight of her tears immediately made him ashamed of his behavior. He sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry, love. I didn’t mean to spoil things for you.”

“I’m sorry too, Hatter,” Alice sniffled. “I know I’ve been…difficult these last couple of weeks.”

Hatter reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of Alice’s face. He cupped her cheek with his hand. “Can you tell me why it’s so important for everything to be perfect?”

Alice leaned into his touch. “It’s my dad. Christmas was his favorite holiday. I remember everything being so perfect, like in a movie. I want you to have a Christmas like mine.”

“Alice. Just having you here with me is perfect. “ Hatter moved so he was sitting propped up against the headboard, and pulled Alice to his side so she was snuggled up against him. “All the movies have run together. And I don’t care if one end of the garland is a half inch lower than the other. I just want to spend some time with you.”

“Mom calls me the Christmas Nazi,” Alice said. Her lips quirked up in a half smile. “I guess she’s right.”

Hatter had only a general idea of what a Nazi was, but he thought he understood what Carol had been trying to say. He laughed and kissed Alice’s head. “Your mum is right, love.”

“I guess I could try to cut back on the crazy,” Alice said.

“What we need is to get away from all this Christmas fuss.” Once the thought was in his head, Hatter was quick to make a plan. “We can take that trip, yeah? The birthday trip.”

“What? Oh. You mean the time share thing?” Alice extricated herself from Hatter’s embrace and sat up, considering. “You know, that might just be a good idea.”

“Let’s make our own memories this Christmas, love.” Hatter pulled her back down and wrapped his arms around her. “And not worry so much for the perfect.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alice murmured. She lowered her head to kiss Hatter but he moved his head to the side.

“Wait!” He rolled a bit to the side, and pulled a slightly flattened bunch of mistletoe out of his back pocket. He held it over his head and grinned. “Now I’m ready!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** I have blatantly and without remorse stolen the title of this chapter from the TV show Roswell – there was an episode of that where Isabel was called the Christmas Nazi. So thanks, Roswell! Any resemblance between myself and Alice in this story is purely coincidental, I don’t care what J says. LOL!
> 
> For this chapter I figured turnabout was fair play. Hatter got all crazy on Halloween, and Alice gets all crazy on Christmas.


	23. Snow Angels

The further Alice and Hatter got out of the city, the more snow they saw. Particularly when they got into the mountains, where there were several inches on the ground. Even Alice, who wasn’t much of a winter girl, couldn’t help but admit how pretty everything looked under the blanket of snow. Hatter was wide-eyed and made Alice stop at the first available rest area so he could get out and touch it.

Alice leaned against the car, watching him. “So no winter in Wonderland?”

“Nothing like this,” Hatter replied. He scooped up a handful of snow and peered at it. “We get cooler weather, but not enough to freeze anything.”

“You keep holding that snow without your gloves on, you’re going to get frostbite.” Alice couldn’t help grinning at the startled look he gave her.

“What’s going to bite me?”

“It’s called frostbite. If you’re exposed to very cold temperatures for too long, that’s what happens. When frostbite gets really bad, they have to amputate parts. Like fingers.”

Hatter hastily dumped the snow out of his hands, and wiped them on his pants. Alice laughed.

“It’s not cold enough for that, Hatter. I’m just teasing you.”

“That’s not funny, Alice.” Hatter looked down at the snow around his feet. “It’s real, though? That frostbite?”

“Yeah, it’s real. So is hypothermia. Too much cold isn’t good.” While Hatter was distracted, Alice scooped up her own bit of snow and quickly fashioned a snowball. “But a little won’t hurt you.”

When Hatter looked back up Alice let the snowball fly. It caught Hatter square in the chest. He narrowed his eyes. “That’s how it’s to be, then?”

They were soon embroiled in a wild snowball fight that drew stares and some laughs from people coming and going at the rest area. Somehow Hatter got a family of four involved, so that they were battling with complete strangers as well as each other. When they finally agreed to a draw, Alice was exhausted and covered in snow. She couldn’t remember ever having this much fun playing out in the snow, even when she was a little girl.

“Come on, snow man,” she said. She grabbed Hatter’s icy hand in hers and led him back to the car. “I hope the timeshare has a fireplace.”

“I can think of better ways to get warm, love,” Hatter replied. He waggled his eyebrows at her.

*o*o*o*

Checking in took so long that Alice was honestly worried Hatter might hurt someone. There were issues because the room had been gifted to them for the weekend and they weren’t timeshare owners, then there was a problem with the room they were supposed to have, and a lengthy wait while a new room was made ready. They sat in the lobby watching ESPN on the wall-mounted TV until Alice thought she was going to scream.

“This better be good,” Hatter grumbled as they followed the directions to their room once it was ready.

“You’re not kidding,” Alice agreed.

They had a second-floor room and even Hatter had to admit that it was nice. There was a full-sized kitchen, two bedrooms, a living room with a comfortable looking couch, and a Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom. Hatter tossed the suitcase in the bedroom.

“What you want to do first, love?” he asked.

Alice stretched, working the kinks from her back from the long drive. “I think we should try out the Jacuzzi.”

Before she’d even finished her sentence Hatter was pulling his shirt over his head and kicking off his shoes. Alice just laughed and added her clothes to the pile on the bed. Hatter soon had the tub up and running, and Alice gratefully sank into the steamy water.

“This must be how an onion feels in the stewpot,” Hatter remarked. Alice knew he didn’t like the water as hot as she did, but he didn’t complain. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the side of the tub.

“I wish we had one of these,” she murmured. “Especially after a long day in the dojo.”

Alice could practically feel her muscles turning to jello. It was heavenly. She promised herself that someday she and Hatter would have a house of their own, and their bathroom would have a big Jacuzzi tub in it.

“Much as I enjoy watching you in the bubbles, love, it’s too hot.” 

Alice opened her eyes, and almost laughed when she saw how red Hatter’s skin was. She took pity on him, pulling him over for a quick kiss.

“Go ahead and get out. I’ll join you soon. You can help me…towel off.” Alice nipped his earlobe before sinking back down in the water. Hatter splashed some at her.

“Tease.” He climbed out of the tub and dried off, putting on a bit of a show as he did so. Alice just shook her head.

“You make a very sexy lobster.”

When he left the bathroom, Alice heard him unzip the suitcase and figured he’d probably be looking for his lounge pants. She dropped her head back and closed her eyes, wondering how long she could stay in the hot, hot water before Hatter removed her bodily.

Alice floated in a semi-doze for a while, and then Hatter was back. He sat on the floor next to the tub, wearing only his soft cotton pants and holding the book on Wonderland history he’d given her for her birthday.

“Why’d you bring this?” he asked.

“I can’t seem to stop reading it,” Alice said with a shrug. Truth was, Hatter hardly ever saw her with it; she felt weird reading about Wonderland in front of him, even though she knew it was foolish.

“And?”

“And…it reads like stereo instructions. It’s annoying, to say the least. I don’t know who wrote it, but they should never write anything. Ever.”

That made Hatter laugh. “So, have you learned anything useful?”

Alice turned so that she could rest her arms and her chin on the edge of the tub. “From what I can understand, which admittedly isn’t much, the First Alice had the power of Words. She pretty much just wished herself home from Wonderland.”

“Words…” Hatter murmured.

“There’s something in there about her destroying or taking away magic, but I can’t quite make it out. It’s on the marked page.” Alice gestured to the Post-it flag sticking up from the book. Hatter hesitated for a minute, then opened the book and started to read. 

Alice watched him, amused and amazed as always when she saw his eyes flick rapidly from sentence to sentence. She’d never seen anyone read so fast. When Hatter was reading purely for enjoyment he’d take his time, but when he needed to know something, he needed to know it as soon as possible. It wasn’t long before he was looking at her with wide eyes.

“It’s just like the storybook,” he whispered. “She turned them all to cards.”

“Who?”

“The Queen’s Guard. She called them a pack of cards and that’s what they became.” Hatter hastily set the book down as if it would bite him. “You’ve got it too!”

“What’ve I got?”

“You got the Suits to turn on the Queen, just by asking them.”

Alice shook her head. “I just showed them the obvious.”

“I was there, Alice. What you did…”

“I think I’ll come out now,” Alice said. She didn’t want to talk about this anymore, didn’t want to think that she might have more in common with the First Alice than just genetics. So she stood up, immediately distracting Hatter, and pushed the off button on the Jacuzzi.

The tub didn’t turn off.

Frowning, Alice hit the button again. Still the bubbles kept churning. Great. The stupid thing was busted.

“I can’t turn this off, Hatter.”

Hatter tried to help, but nothing they did worked. Alice was about to suggest calling maintenance when Hatter pulled the front panel off of the tub.

“What are you doing?” Alice yelped. She envisioned a large bill listing room damages, but Hatter just flapped his hand at her.

“It’s got that Velcro stuff on it.” He reached in and unplugged the tub, and the bubbles immediately stopped. He reattached the front panel, though it wasn’t as flush against the tub as it had been, then stood up, grinning.

“Fixed it.”

“My hero!” Alice threw herself in Hatter’s arms, still dripping from the tub. And easily took his mind off the book and focuses his attentions on…other things.

*o*o*o*

They had a leisurely breakfast the following morning, then bundled up to take a walk out in the snow. It was beautiful out here in the woods and Alice loved how the trees looked with snow clinging to every branch. It was cold enough to turn their breath into plumy white puffs and redden their cheeks, but not so cold that it was unbearable.

“Winter is so pretty here,” Alice said. “So much nicer than winter in the city.”

“How much snow will they get, you think?” Hatter asked. He scooped some up – wearing his gloves this time – and tossed a snowball at a tree.

“I don’t know. Some places get quite a lot, especially if there’s a blizzard.”

“What’s that?”

“Big snowstorm. It can dump a couple feet or more.” Alice raised her hand to demonstrate. Hatter whistled.

“That must be a sight.”

“Well, luckily not one we see too often at home. We get a big storm in the city and everything just shuts down.”

They walked in silence for a while, hand in hand. It was so quiet out here; no traffic noises, no shouting voices. It was nice for a day or two, but Alice knew she couldn’t ever live so far away from civilization. She liked the thrum and pulse of city life too much.

“Let’s make snow angels,” Alice said, breaking the silence. Hatter just gave her a blank look, so Alice held out her arms and dropped backward into the snow to demonstrate. She moved her arms and legs, then got up as carefully as she could and hopped out of the indentation she’d made in the snow.

“See? It looks like an angel.”

Hatter brushed snow out of her hair. “You look like an angel, love.” He kissed the tip of her nose, red from the cold, then laid down next to her angel to make one of his own. When he’d finished, the snow angels were just touching. Alice used her hand to draw a hat on Hatter’s angel.

“Now it’s perfect,” she said, smiling.

They shared a frosty kiss, then Alice pulled him back towards their room.

“Best part of winter is cozying up with some hot chocolate.”

“Or tea?” Hatter asked hopefully. Alice laughed. 

“Yes, or tea.”

Hatter wrapped his arm around Alice’s shoulder as they walked. “I know you don’t want to talk about this now, love, but we’ll need figure out about First Alice and the Words.”

Alice sighed. “I know. It’s just…I’m nothing special, Hatter. Not like she was. I don’t have any magical powers.”

Hatter stopped walking and pulled Alice into a hug.

“My Alice, you’re more special than you know. You changed my life, and that was magic itself. I love you.”

Alice hid her smile in Hatter’s puffy brown coat, touched by his words. “I love you too, Hatter.”

Hatter kissed the top of her head. “After the holiday, yeah? We’ll figure this all out then.”

“It’s a deal,” Alice said. She kissed Hatter, reveling in his warmth. “Now, about my hot chocolate…”

Hatter took Alice’s hand in his and they ran through the snow, laughing into the brightness of the day.


	24. A Very Hatter Christmas

Hatter woke to the very pleasant sensation of Alice’s lips on his. His arms automatically went round her, and his eyes popped open when he felt skin instead of flannel pajamas.

“Merry Christmas Eve, Hatter,” Alice said. “I thought you’d like to open one of your presents early.”

He quirked up an eyebrow. Alice straddled him on the bed, wearing nothing but bright red scanties edged in fake fur, and a matching hat on her head. It took him a moment to realize that this must be a Santa thing. Hatter grinned in appreciation and ran his hands up and down Alice’s arms.

“I’m starting to like this holiday,” he said.

Alice smiled down at him, but it was her lusty smile and Hatter was very quickly at a loss for words.

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter shared a leisurely breakfast together, then sat in front of their artificial tree to admire the lights. There were a few packages underneath it that would soon be packed up and brought to Carol’s; that’s where they’d be spending most the rest of the day. Hatter didn’t mind. He knew this was an important family holiday, and afterwards they’d get to come home and be alone.

“You know what my favorite Christmas memory is?” Alice asked.

“Tell me all about it, love,” Hatter said. He leaned back against the sofa and drew Alice close. She didn’t offer up many childhood memories, since most involved her father and those were still painful for her; he appreciated every new bit of her life that she shared with him.

“When I was real little, like four and five, we’d go to my Nana and Grandpa’s house for Christmas. All of my Hamilton cousins, aunts and uncles would be there, so it would be total chaos.”

“Your mum’s family and your dad’s celebrated together?” Hatter recalled all the people at the Hamilton reunion and figured chaos was a very appropriate word.

“Yeah. There’s nothing like an Italian Christmas. We’d eat a huge dinner, and there were so many of us Grandpa had to bring in extra tables. Nana would cook enough food to feed the Italian army, and the Hamiltons always brought extra with them.” Alice’s voice had gone soft with her remembrance. Hatter wrapped his arms more tightly around her, trying to picture what she was describing.

“After dinner all the kids got to open up their present from Aunt Ann. She’d make pajamas for all of us, and we’d put them right on. Then we’d open all the relative gifts, until we were swimming in wrapping paper.”

“Sounds like a good time,” Hatter murmured.

“That wasn’t even the best part. The best part was when one of the grownups would spot Santa down the street. Then we’d all be hustled back into Nana and Grandpa’s room to hide behind the bed. Uncle Mike would come with us to make sure we stayed out of sight. And we’d hear Santa Claus in the living room, talking to the grownups and asking if the kids were all in bed. It was the one time of the year that they were on our side, or so it seemed then. When the all-clear was given, we’d come back to the living room and the floor would just be covered with toys. It was awesome!”

Hatter rested his chin on Alice’s shoulder. “I thought you said he wasn’t real. Santa Claus.”

Alice turned and pressed a kiss on Hatter’s cheek. “He seemed awfully real to us. I found out years later it was actually Aunt Patty doing Santa’s voice. But it made those Christmases so special.”

There was a wistful tone in her voice. Hatter shifted so he could kiss her properly, cupping her face gently in his hands. It was a special day and he didn’t want her to feel sad.

“Something tells me this is going to be my new favorite Christmas,” Alice said, resting her forehead on Hatter’s.

“I’ll do my best, love,” Hatter said.

*o*o*o*

They arrived at Carol’s shortly before noon, arms laden with bags of gifts and a tin of cookies that Hatter had made. Hatter was wearing a new silk shirt he’d gotten specially for Christmas – it was hunter green with a pattern of red and gold ornaments. He’d paired it with a black vest and dark green trousers. Alice had laughed when he’d come home with it several weeks ago, but even she admitted that it looked good when he put it on. She’d picked up a black and green dress to wear so they’d match.

“Merry Christmas Eve!” Carol opened the door, wearing a bright blue sweater and cream colored pants. There were kisses all around and then Hatter was charged with putting the presents under the tree. Carol had a live tree, and Hatter decided that next year he and Alice would do the same; there was something about that piney scent that made him think of Charlie.

“Come on over!” Alice called. Hatter joined her at the dining table, and his eyes widened in surprise. The table was set for tea, with a full service and plates of cookies and cakes.

“What’s this?” he asked. Alice clapped her hands, clearly excited.

“It’s our first annual Christmas Tea!” She fairly beamed. “It was Mom’s idea.”

“Do you like it?” Carol asked, and Hatter thought she sounded a bit nervous. He couldn’t believe they’d done this for him, for he knew that neither woman liked tea as much as he did.

“It’s brilliant!” he said. The three of them sat at the table and Carol poured out. Hatter took the first cup and offered it to Alice, a sly grin on his face.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” he asked. Alice laughed and took the cup from him.

“I’d love one!”

Carol passed around the cakes and cookies. Hatter thoroughly enjoyed his first Christmas Tea, making a mental note to offer something similar in the Tea Room next year. He might not know everything about the Oyster world, but he knew how much money could be made from anything related to this biggest of Oyster holidays.

*o*o*o*

Hatter had been permitted access to the kitchen, where Carol showed him how to prepare the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. Hatter paid close attention to every detail, even though Carol promised to write all the recipes down for him. Alice split her time between chatting with the two of them and watching Christmas specials on the TV.

That evening they dined on shrimp scampi, scallop chowder, grilled salmon, steamed lobster tails, stuffed clams, mussels over fettuccini, and fried flounder. Hatter had never seen so much fish, much less eaten it. He found that he was not overly fond of the mussels, but couldn’t get enough of the chowder.

“It’s fish every year?” he asked, helping himself to another slice of corn casserole.

“It’s been a family tradition for as long as I can remember,” Carol said. “We don’t always have seven fishes, that’s a lot for just the two of us, but we wanted your first Christmas to be as traditional as possible.”

“Dunno about traditional, but it’s delicious.” Hatter still couldn’t get over the vast amounts of food that Oysters prepared for one meal, particularly on one of their holidays. He wasn’t about to complain, though.

“Remember the year we only had tuna sandwiches?” Alice asked. She shared an affectionate look with her mother.

“It was right after Daddy left. Money was tight that year, and I’d spent what I had on presents instead of fish.” Carol laughed. “You know, your father hated fish.”

Alice looked surprised. “Really? I never knew that.”

“I used to cook him pork chops.”

Alice set her fork down, her face thoughtful. “You know, I’m not missing Dad so much this year. It doesn’t…hurt as much, remembering.”

Hatter reached over and took her hand, squeezing gently. Alice shot him a grateful look. 

“I think it’s because you finally know what happened,” Carol said. Her eyes glimmered with tears. “You don’t have to wonder anymore, or feel like he’d ruined things on purpose.”

“Sometimes I imagined he had another family, another little girl to spend Christmas with. But you know, he didn’t. In Wonderland, he was still alone.”

“The Denial only worked so much,” Hatter murmured. “It couldn’t take away everything. Deep down, he remembered you. Both of you.”

“Yes, well, that’s all in the past now isn’t it?” Carol brushed briskly at the tears that had spilled from her eyes. “Today is about us, about our new family.”

Alice reached out her other hand and held on to her mother. “You’re right, Mom. So let’s finish up this fish and get to the presents!”

*o*o*o*

Hatter was glad when the emotional stuff was over with. While he was more than glad that Alice was coming to terms with her father and all that had happened with him, he didn’t want two crying women on his hands. Especially on Christmas. But if he thought they’d get right to the presents once dinner had been cleared, he was sadly mistaken.

He lay sprawled on the floor while Alice read _The Night Before Christmas_. A rabid reader himself, Hatter could appreciate the imagery of the poem. As a first time celebrator of Christmas, though, he wanted to get right to the gift opening. He imagined children must feel the same way, and wondered how they got through a whole month of anticipation.

“It’s my turn to play Santa,” Carol declared, once Alice was finished with the poem. She knelt down next to the tree and pulled out a narrow box. “For David, from Carol.”

Hatter took the box, a huge grin on his face as he ripped off the bright red wrapping paper. Inside, under a layer of tissue paper, was a bright blue silk shirt, patterned with white tea cups.

“Not another one!” Alice complained. “Have you seen his closet?”

“It’s perfect!” Hatter said. “Thank you!”

Carol fished out another gift. “For Alice, from Hatter.”

It was a large box, but when Alice opened it up she found another box inside. And another and another, until finally she reached the final box, which fit in the palm of her hand.

“This better be good, after all that,” she warned Hatter with a grin. The grin faded when she opened the box. Inside was a delicate gold chain. Hanging from it was a little gold top hat.

“Oh, Hatter,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful!”

“It’s inscribed,” Hatter said. Alice turned it over.

_Every Alice needs a Hatter._

Alice carefully took the necklace out of the box and put it on. “How does it look?”

“It’s lovely,” Carol said, touching it with one fingertip. “You’re awfully good at picking out jewelry, David.”

Hatter shrugged, pleased and a bit embarrassed. “I just know what’d look good on Alice.”

“Thank you, Hatter.” Alice leaned down to give him a kiss.

“Now for you, Carol.” Hatter pulled out a gift bag and handed it to his future mother-in-law. “It’s from both of us.”

Hatter had found it in one of the countless gift shops that Alice had dragged him to in the name of finding the perfect presents. It was one of those wooden sculptures – Alice called it a Willow Tree – of a woman holding a thin metal wreath. It was the card attached to it that had gotten Hatter’s attention. Welcome Here, it said.

“Oh, how sweet!” Carol cried when she unwrapped the little figurine. Hatter pointed to the little card.

“It’s you,” he said. “You’ve made me feel welcome from my very first day in your world.”

Carol kissed him on the head, and gave Alice a hug. “I love it! I’ll put her on the table right by the door.”

Hatter had to admit that this gift giving thing was pretty good. He loved seeing Alice’s and Carol’s reactions to the presents he’d picked out. It wasn’t long before the living room floor was covered in torn wrapping paper and discarded boxes and bags. There were just two gifts left under the tree.

“You first,” Alice insisted. She handed Hatter a small box topped with a big red bow. He made a show of shaking it and trying to guess what was inside before he finally opened it up.

It was a bracelet made of three narrow strips of leather, each one adorned with a shiny round bead. Hatter looked at Alice questioningly. She smiled at him.

“They’re pearls,” she said. “So that you’ll always remember you belong to a family of Oysters now.”

Hatter touched the pearls reverently. When he looked closer he could see that they weren’t perfectly round. Imperfect little pearls from imperfect little oysters. He looked over at his own Oyster and found himself at a loss for words. Alice came and wrapped herself around him.

“I love you, Hatter.”

“I love you back, little Oyster,” he said after a moment.

Alice helped him put the bracelet on and he couldn’t help but stare at it, admiring the way the light shone off the pearls. Trust his Alice to find him something so special and unique. He almost didn’t want to give her the last present; it wasn’t anything nearly as grand as this. 

“Give it up, Hatter,” Alice said, holding out her hands expectantly. 

Hatter sighed and gave her the large box, anxious now. What if she hated it? Worse, what if she didn’t remember? He could barely stand it, waiting for her to tear off the paper and open it up.

She hated it. He was sure she hated it. What had he been thinking? Alice just stared at it, not even taking it out of the box.

“Well, what is it?” Carol asked.

Hatter made an abortive movement to take back the box, but Alice was already pulling the coat out to show her mother. It wasn’t the real one; that had been left behind when he came through the Looking Glass. But he’d had a copy made after he’d had a particularly nostalgic day.

“Alice, I…”

But Alice was crying now, tears rolling down her face. Hatter’s heart clenched. He’d made a terrible mistake. He’d ruined Alice’s Christmas.

Carol looked between the two of them, clearly alarmed and confused. “What’s going on?”

Alice didn’t take her eyes off the coat. “It’s…it’s the first thing Hatter gave me. It’s my coat.” She ran her hand over the velvet.

She finally looked at Hatter. “How?”

“It’s just a copy, love. I thought…”

Alice stood up and slipped the coat on. Hatter caught his breath at the sight of her, a flood of memories washing over him. It wasn’t an exact copy – the color was a bit off, and it flared more than the other. But it was close enough.

Hatter got up off the floor and moved in front of Alice. The living room melted away, Carol with it, and there was only Alice in the purple velvet coat. In his mind’s eye the ghosts of white furniture and grass carpet appeared around them, and he could see Alice as she’d been then, wet and scared and so incredibly beautiful.

“A pretty girl in a very wet dress,” he murmured, grasping Alice by the shoulders.

Alice looked at him, her eyes shining. “Will you help me?”

“Every time,” Hatter said. 

They kissed, and it was like their first kiss all over again. Hatter ran his hands over the back of the coat, pressing Alice closer. He kissed her the way he should’ve back in Wonderland, when he’d let her leave. When she’d given the coat back to him.

“So you like it then?” Hatter whispered, when they finally came up for air.

“It’s perfect,” Alice whispered back.

“Merry Christmas, my Alice.”

“Merry Christmas, Hatter.”


	25. Resolved

“So what’s this new year thing?” Hatter asked. He and Alice were having a snuggle on the couch, and had turned all the lights off save the Christmas tree. Alice told him the tree would have to be put away after the new year and he was reluctant to see it go.

“It’s just a way to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another,” Alice explained. “A lot of people have parties, and there’ll be thousands of people in Times Square to watch the ball drop.”

“Any excuse to have a party, yeah?” Hatter chuckled. He kissed the top of Alice’s head.

“It’s also a time to make resolutions.”

“What?”

“Resolutions,” Alice repeated. “Like, something you’re going to try to do differently in the new year. A lot of people start new diets, or give up smoking, or something like that.”

Hatter pondered that a while. It was just like the Oysters to take a rather ordinary day and ascribe all kinds of meaning to it. Still, he did like the idea of it. He wondered what his resolution should be.

“Hmmm. Oh, one of my Tea Room customers invited us to a party.” Hatter thought about digging the paper out of his pocket, but he was too cozy to move. “I told him I’d let him know.”

Alice shrugged. “Where’s it at?”

“His flat, I suppose. He called it something else…pent house?”

Alice turned so that she could look up at him. “One of your customers lives in a penthouse? He must be rich.”

“Dunno. He comes in for tea once a week. Doesn’t seem to have any airs.” Hatter conjured up an image of the man in his mind. Blue jeans, green sweater, always with a hat and sunglasses. Fairly unassuming.

“Do you want to go?” Alice asked. It was Hatter’s turn to shrug.

“I don’t know him too well. His name’s Jaime and he comes in a couple times a week. Nice guy.”

“Where does he live?”

Hatter sighed, shifting so he could get the paper out of his pocket. He handed it to Alice. “This is his address.”

Alice unfolded the paper and stared at the hastily scribbled words written there. Jaime hadn’t taken no for an answer, insisting on giving Hatter all of the information on the party. He waited for Alice to say something, but she just kept staring at the paper, her eyes wide.

“We don’t have to go,” he said. “Alice?”

“Jaime Christian? Jaime Christian drinks tea in your Tea Room?”

Hatter frowned, confused. “Yeah, him and a lot of other people. Do you know him?”

“Jaime Christian? You’re kidding me. Don’t you pay attention when we watch movies?” Alice shook her head, incredulous, and gently smoothed out the paper against her knee. “Everyone knows Jaime Christian, Hatter. He’s an actor. A great actor. You’ve probably seen about four of his movies.”

Hatter tried to picture Jaime on the television, tried to think what movie he’d seen him in. And then suddenly it was there and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t recognized Jaime before.

“He’s that guy in those romance movies, isn’t he?”

Alice sighed happily. “Oh, yeah.”

“We’re going to his party, aren’t we.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Now it was Hatter’s turn to sigh, and there was nothing happy about it.

*o*o*o*

Hatter leaned against the wall of the elevator, watching Alice in amusement. They were on their way up to Jaime’s penthouse and Alice couldn’t stand still. She was fidgeting with her coat, and constantly touching her hair. He’d never seen her so star-struck.

“Why all the fuss?” he asked. 

“He’s a celebrity, Hatter. Do you know how unusual it is to be invited out by someone as famous as Jaime Christian?”

“He’s just a guy,” Hatter said dismissively. Alice chewed her bottom lip, then remembered her lipstick and hurriedly dug through her clutch purse so she could reapply.

“He’s not _just a guy_. It’s like…like…like getting to meet Caterpillar.” Alice shrugged. “And that’s not right either, I know.”

Any other discussion they might have had on the subject was cut off by the ding of the elevator as it came to a smooth stop. The doors opened to reveal a large foyer-like entryway and a non-descript door flanked by two men who were obviously security. Alice clutched Hatter’s hand tightly.

“David Hatter and Alice Hamilton,” Hatter said. One of the guards nodded and opened the door, releasing a crescendo of voices, music and tinkling glasses. Alice took a deep breath, and he felt himself getting a bit of nerves now as well; the presence of the guards put him in mind of parties he had been forced to attend at the Casino, and no good had ever come from gatherings with the Queen.

As soon as Alice and Hatter stepped into the room, Jaime was there to greet them. Hatter shook his hand and introduced Alice, who blushed prettily and stuttered out a greeting.

“She’s a fan,” Hatter explained. Jaime grinned.

“Really? What’s your favorite?”

“ _Lost in Love_ ,” Alice responded immediately. “You were so funny in that! And those scenes of you standing in the rain…”

There was more blushing, but Jaime just laughed.

“That was a fun one to do. Wait till you see what I have coming up, I think you’re going to like it.”

Hatter frowned as Jaime took hold of Alice’s elbow and steered her toward a long buffet table fairly groaning under the weight of all the food that had been made available. He followed along, and threw his arm round Alice as soon as he got the chance, raising one eyebrow at Jaime in challenge. The other man laughed and let go of Alice.

“Help yourself to anything here. There’s an open bar in the kitchen. Let me take your coats, I’ll toss them in the hall closet.” Jaime helped Alice shed her black wool coat, and took it and Hatter’s away with him.

“I can’t believe all the people that are here,” Alice whispered to Hatter. He looked round the room, but no-one stood out to him as being familiar. Instead he turned his attention to the food, loading up a plate with a variety of finger foods and pastries. He held out a chocolate-covered strawberry for Alice.

“Free food, love.”

Alice just chuckled, plucking the strawberry from his hand and popping it in her mouth. She couldn’t stop star gazing. She pointed out to Hatter the people that she recognized from magazines and television; musicians, actors, the twenty-something children of politicians and entertainers, and even that popular ventriloquist, who was putting on a little show in the living room.

“Lena’s going to die when I tell her about this,” Alice told Hatter.

At Hatter’s insistence they made their way through the spacious rooms, and most everyone was very polite to them even though they weren’t “in the business.” When they’d done one lap through, Hatter insisted on finding the open bar. This group was full of self-importance and it was starting to get on his nerves.

Hatter had expected a bartender, but the open bar in reality was just a massive amount and variety of liquor covering every square inch of counter space in the kitchen. There was far too much to choose from, and of course he needed to examine each and every bottle before settling on a glass of fifty year old scotch.

“Hatter, look at this!” Alice held up a bottle for his inspection. “Chocolate wine!”

Hatter grimaced. That sounded like a right awful mix, but Alice insisted on trying some. She poured it over ice and gave it a taste.

“Oooh. It’s like a YooHoo!”

“What’s a YooHoo?” Hatter asked. Alice shook her head sadly.

“Still so much to teach you,” she joked.

They carried their cups into the living room and managed to find some room on one of the love seats. They watched the ventriloquist, who was really very funny, and then one of the musicians got out his guitar and started to play. They’d been there about an hour and a half when Alice went off in search of the bathroom. Her seat was quickly filled by a drunken girl who barely looked eighteen, wearing a halter top and skin-tight jeans.

“Are you famous?” she asked Hatter. 

“Not here,” he replied, amused.

“Well, you look famous. And that’s almost as good.” She pulled up her top, showing off a flat stomach that had writing all over it. “Wanna sign my belly?”

Hatter looked round for Alice, but there was no sign of her. When he turned back to the girl, she was holding out a black marker. He took it, carefully writing his name under her navel.

“I’d let you sign my boobs, but they’re reserved for A-listers,” the girl said when he was finished.

“What’s your name?” Hatter asked her, handing the marker back.

“Dee-Dee. Some people call me Double-D.” She shook her breasts at him.

“Are you famous?”

“Hell no,” Dee-Dee said. “I’m Jaime’s dog walker.”

Hatter wondered what was taking Alice so long. She probably wouldn’t be happy to know he’d signed some girl’s bare stomach, and mentally willed Dee-Dee away.

“So your name is Hatter?” The girl slung her legs over his. “I can read upside down, you know. That’s a great name, like a stage name.”

“Yeah, I suppose it is.” He tried to casually slide the girl’s legs off, but she clung to him like a limpet.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Yes. Yes I do,” Hatter said. “A fiancée, actually. She’s here somewhere.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Dee-Dee pouted. “You’re awfully cute. If you two ever break up, keep me in mind.”

Hatter just stared at her. He wondered if Alice would mind going home early; this party wasn’t nearly as fun as he thought it was going to be. Maybe if he knew the celebrities, as Alice did, it would be more interesting. 

There was a sudden commotion coming from the hall leading back to the bedrooms, and when Hatter heard Alice’s voice he was instantly on his feet and pushing through the crowd.

“…asshole!” he heard her say as he got closer. “How dare you!”

“Sounds like Jaime got in the vodka,” someone chuckled.

“He got into more than that,” someone else added.

Hatter saw red, and finally managed to push through the wall of bodies that was separating him from his Alice. Jaime was lying on the floor, nursing a bloody nose and moaning. Alice stood over him, fists clenched, and that warrior woman look on her face that Hatter hadn’t seen since Wonderland. For just a moment his breath caught at the sight of her, glowering in her form-fitting, midnight-blue dress. She was positively quivering in outrage, and Hatter was awash in nostalgia.

“Alice? What happened?”

She looked up at him, her blue eyes snapping with indignation. “He backed me into a corner. Said he wanted to have sex with me in the hall.”

The crowd behind Hatter tittered, but he didn’t find it funny at all. He reached down and pulled Jaime up by the front of his expensive silk shirt. He threw him against the wall.

“You put your hands on my Alice?” he asked, his voice low and deadly. Jaime’s eyes widened and he gestured frantically with one hand. Hatter found himself in an altercation with one of the security guards, happily exchanging blows with the much larger man. He was so angry he didn’t care who he swung at, as long as someone was on the receiving end.

“Hatter! Hatter, stop!”

Alice’s voice was faint, drowned out by the buzzing in his ears. Such was his state that he was flexing his right hand without even thinking about it, but found he couldn’t move it. Alice was clinging to his elbow, putting all her weight against that arm to keep him from seriously hurting someone.

“It’s okay, Hatter. You can stop.”

Hatter shook his head to clear it, and the buzzing died down a bit. She pulled him toward the door, and someone came out of the crowd with their coats. Hatter let himself be led out of the flat, followed by a very angry and bruised security guard.

“Happy New Year!” Alice called over her shoulder, just before the door slammed shut. They were in the elevator and on their way back down to the lobby before Hatter finally got himself under control. He pulled Alice against him, wrapping his arms around her.

“Did he hurt you?”

“No. He just got a grope in. I handled it.” 

Hatter chuckled. “Yeah, I saw that. Be a few days before he can go in front of a camera.”

Alice pulled away to button up her coat, and Hatter could see she was crying just a little. That got his ire up again, but he tamped it down.

“What’s wrong, love?”

Alice swiped at the tears with her hand. “I really liked him. I thought he was this funny, romantic guy. And it turns out he’s just a big jerk. I’ll never be able to watch his movies again.” 

Hatter pulled her back into his arms and stroked her hair. “I’m sorry, love. He seemed like a decent guy.”

“Not your fault, Hatter.” Alice snuggled up against him. “At least I know you’re the real deal.”

“I’m the what?”

“The real deal. My hero. The only one who never let’s me down.” Alice hugged him tightly. Hatter grinned.

“That’ll be my resolution then,” he said. 

“What will be?”

“To live up to your expectations.”

Alice laughed. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to let them out. Hatter put his arm round her waist and they headed out in the cold night to catch a cab and go home. Hatter decided to bypass any future New Year parties; this one was more than enough.

While they waited, the faint sound of church bells could be heard, as well as a dull roar from the crowd gathered in Times Square. Hatter cupped Alice’s face in his hands and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

“Happy New Year, my Alice.”

“Happy New Year, Hatter.” Alice kissed him back.

“I’ve another resolution,” Hatter said as they slid into a cab.

“Oh? And what’s that?” 

“I resolve to get you naked as soon as we get home.” He pressed a hot kiss to her neck. Alice shivered.

“I can’t think of a better way to welcome in the New Year,” she murmured. 

They tried hard not to scandalize the cab driver during the ride home, but it was a near thing.


	26. Un-Boring

Alice hung up the phone and stood standing there a moment, staring into space. She usually enjoyed her semi-regular chats with Lena, but this time it had left her feeling down. Not for the first time, she wished she was a bit more adventurous, the way that Lena was. Well, probably not to such an extreme degree.

Lena had regaled her for a full half hour about a key party she’d gone to, something that Alice would never in her right mind attend. Although, truth be told, a tiny part of her left mind found the idea of sex with a stranger oddly titillating. And it had only been three weeks ago that Lena had gone to a party and ended up playing naked spin-the-bottle. It made Alice feely oddly…settled.

She finally stirred herself and went back to the kitchen, to finish washing the dishes. Her mind kept going over Lena’s story, and the more she thought about it the more depressed she became. She kept coming back to the same determination – she, Alice, was boring. With a capital B.

How long ago Wonderland seemed now. She’d told herself then that she was done with excitement and adrenalin rushes, and at the time she’d certainly meant it. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Alice was happy with her life, and looking forward to marrying Hatter. She had safety, security, and love. So why was she suddenly nostalgic for a high ledge?

“You home, love?” Hatter called as he came in the door.

“In the kitchen!” Alice wondered if Hatter thought she was boring. His life in Wonderland had been dangerous, sure, but she was certain that he’d taken more chances, had more fun, than he did here.

“You look good enough to eat,” Hatter said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He nibbled on her neck, making her giggle.

“I’m washing dishes, Hatter. It’s not what I’d call glamorous.”

“You’re always glamorous.”

Alice shooed him away. “I’ve called for take-out. It should be here soon.”

“Sounds good,” Hatter called as he made his way to the bedroom to change.

*o*o*o*

The coffee table was littered with mostly-empty boxes of Chinese food, and Alice lounged on the sofa with her hands wrapped around a cup of tea. Hatter sat next to her, the Wonderland history book open on his lap; it was bristling with Post-it tabs. While he read and re-read, Alice stared into her teacup and brooded.

She and Hatter were in a rut. Aside from the ill-fated New Year’s Eve party, what else had they done that was out of the ordinary? They went to work, they had dinner with Carol once a week, they discussed wedding plans, and they read that damn history book.

“Do you think I’m boring?” Alice blurted out. Hatter looked up at her in surprise.

“Boring?”

“You know. Dull. Always doing the same old thing. Never taking chances.”

“Alice…” Hatter started, but she held up her hand to stop him.

“Wonderland doesn’t count, Hatter.”

He looked at her for a long moment, his head slightly cocked to the side. Alice blushed, feeling foolish. Damn that Lena, anyway!

“Do you know why I like living here?” Hatter asked after a while. Alice looked back at him and shrugged.

“Pizza. Lots of tea varieties. Me.”

“I like having a routine. I like not having to worry about being dragged away by Suits because the Queen has a sudden urge to chat with me. I’ve stopped looking over my shoulder, yeah? You call it boring. I call it…normal.”

Alice set her tea down and pushed the book out of Hatter’s lap so she could crawl into it. “I’m sorry. I know I’m being silly.”

“You’re not being silly, love.” Hatter kissed the top of her head. “Just believe I’ve got everything I could want. In two more months we’ll be married. I never dreamed I could have that kind of life, Alice.”

Alice snuggled into him, warmed as much by his words as his arms around her. She sent more nasty thoughts Lena’s way. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to do something out of the ordinary. She’d have to give it more thought, but keep her mouth shut about it until she decided what to do. She didn’t want Hatter feeling bad.

*o*o*o*

One week later Alice hurried home from the dojo with a cardboard box under her arm. She was both nervous and excited, and hoped she had enough time to get everything set up before Hatter got home. She’d planned everything carefully, and it was exciting to finally get it in place.

When she got to the apartment, Alice took the box into the bedroom and shut the door behind her, even though she was alone. She opened the box and grinned as she pulled out the shiny red leather that was nestled inside. She’d never visited an online sex shop, much less ordered anything from one, but that had been the whole point; she’d stepped outside her comfort zone, but in a way that would be beneficial for both herself _and_ Hatter. Maybe it wasn’t on par with naked party games, but it was a start.

Alice hopped in the shower and took some extra time primping before she squeezed herself into the red leather teddy. She’d toyed with getting the crotchless one, but had chickened out at the last minute. She thought she’d grab Hatter’s attention regardless. The thing tied up the front, and gave the illusion that her breasts were much larger than they actually were. Red garters, black stockings, and red stiletto heels completed the ensemble.

Turning this way and that to get the total effect in the mirror, Alice felt a little embarrassed, but mostly she liked how she looked. It was so unlike her to do this, which added a little thrill. Now to set the stage.

Recalling Hatter’s comment from the week before – _you look good enough to eat_ – Alice headed to the kitchen. She wiped down the kitchen table and draped a white tablecloth over it. From the fridge she pulled a carton of strawberries, which she dumped into a white bowl. Then she set about arranging herself artfully on the table, with the bowl between her legs. Hopefully she’d timed it close enough that she wouldn’t be stuck in her provocative, yet uncomfortable, pose for very long.

Sure enough, five minutes later she heard Hatter’s key in the lock. Alice’s heart began to pound in anticipation. She hoped Hatter was surprised. Pleasantly surprised. She could hear him in the living room, muttering to himself, and did her best to look sultry.

“You home, Alice?” he called.

“In here, Hatter!” she called back.

“Hope you don’t mind, love, but Peter and I…” Hatter came to a stuttering halt in the doorway, his eyes wide. Behind him, Peter’s eyes were even wider, though Alice only caught a quick glance of him before he ducked out of sight.

“Oh my God!” Alice slid off the table and yanked the table cloth around her, sending the bowl of strawberries flying. “Oh my God!”

“Alice, what…”

But Alice didn’t stick around to listen. She dodged around Hatter and turned the corner to the bedroom, running headlong into Peter. They both blushed furiously at each other, and then Alice finally escaped into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She dropped face-down on the bed, mortified.

“Alice?” Hatter knocked lightly on the door before coming in. Alice pulled the tablecloth up over her head. She couldn’t believe Peter had seen her like that. The _one_ time she tried to shake things up, and look what happened!

“Love?” The mattress shifted a bit as Hatter sat down. “Did I miss something? Did we have a date night tonight?”

“No,” Alice muttered, her voice muffled. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“I’d say that was a success then,” he chuckled. “But I think you surprised Peter more.”

“I’ll never be able to see him again,” Alice groaned. “We’ll have to stop being friends with him and Daisy.”

“I think that’s a bit much.”

Alice rolled over. “Look at me, Hatter! He saw me like this!”

“You look like a…whatsit…burrito.” Hatter tugged the table cloth off. “That’s better. Mmmmm. Much better.”

“Why is Peter even here?”

“Hmm? Oh. We were going out. A guy’s night.” Hatter ran his hand down the side of the teddy. “I now see I’m needed more at home.”

“Oh, no!” Alice scooted off the bed. “You go. Go out with Peter, get him good and drunk, and maybe he’ll forget he was even here.”

“Alice…”

“No. I’m so not in the mood right now, Hatter. Believe me, you’re better off with Peter. Just go.”

Alice gestured to the door, but Hatter advanced on her until her back was pressed against the closet door. He put his palms on either side of her head, looking at her with such intensity she momentarily forgot to be embarrassed.

“I’ll go,” Hatter fairly growled. “But when I get back…you better still have that on.”

He kissed her, hard, and then he was gone, leaving Alice staring weak-kneed at the door. She could hear him exchanging some words with Peter, and then the front door slammed. Letting out a shaky breath, Alice sank to the floor. Her ambience had been ruined, her dignity destroyed, and now she would have to wait for Hatter to get home to deal with the fire he’d so easily stoked under her skin.

“Thank God I didn’t get the crotchless one,” Alice said, looking down at herself.

And then she began to laugh, deep belly laughs that made her sides ache and tears run down her face. Well, she told herself, you wanted some excitement!


	27. Keeping Secrets

_Alice was running, an ever-changing landscape blurring past as she went, arms pumping. Brick buildings became fields which in turn became steel skyscrapers. She was running impossibly fast – Superman fast, she thought – but the object of her pursuit was always just ahead of her, just out of reach._

_“Wait! Alice!” she cried, but the little girl giggled and put on speed._

_Alice started to panic, and then she stumbled over something hidden in the long grass – when had the asphalt turned to grass? – and went sprawling. She could barely see the other Alice now and tears of frustration pricked her eyes._

_“Alice! What do you want me to do? Tell me what to do!”_

_But the little girl was no longer in sight and Alice screamed in frustration. If she only knew what needed to be done, she’d do it._

_“You have to put it back,” a voice said from behind her. Alice scrambled to her feet and spun around, arms automatically going up in a defensive posture. The other Alice stood there, plucking the petals off a daisy._

_“Put what back?” Alice asked._

_“You have to fix what was broken.”_

_“Stop being enigmatic and just tell me what to do!” Alice clenched her hands in anger. The little girl looked up and Alice took a step back; her eyes were strange, golden and glimmering and not quite human._

_“It’s nearly time,” the other Alice said. Her voice had changed as well, deepening ever so slightly. “Keep it close.”_

_The little girl began to fade, though her eyes remained bright and penetrating._

_“No!” Alice cried. She moved forward, but her arms went through the other Alice like she was made of smoke._

Alice woke, her arms twitching as if trying to complete the movement she’d made in the dream. The frustration was still seething under her skin, and she slid out of bed without waking Hatter. She threw on her flannel robe, slipped into her slippers, and eased out of the apartment as quietly as she could.

It was chilly down in the basement. Alice turned on the fluorescent lights, half of which didn’t even work, and unlocked the storage unit. The box that held the fan was right where she left it, and she had to climb on a couple of cartons to get to it. Once she had it in her hands, she sat on a plastic tub filled with Christmas decorations.

She’d been dreaming a lot of the fan and the first Alice. Usually the other Alice just kept running, always staying out of reach. Tonight was the first time they’d actually spoken, but it had been no less frustrating. Why could nothing related to Wonderland be simple?

_You have to put it back._

Put what back? The fan? Alice opened the lid and stared at the fan, which rested so innocuously on the velvet lining. Put it back where? Aunt Mattie didn’t want it back, of that Alice was certain. Was it supposed to go back to Wonderland? That wasn’t likely to happen. Alice snapped the lid of the box shut. If the first Alice wanted it done, she could do it her own damn self.

“Alice?”

Alice jumped at the sound of Hatter’s voice, feeling a prick of guilt for being found out. He stood leaning in the doorway of the storage unit, wearing only a pair of flannel pants and his boots, the laces undone.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry.” Alice tried to nonchalantly set down the box, but Hatter’s eyes followed it closely. She sighed.

“What’re you doing?”

“I just…I had a dream about the first Alice and the stupid fan. I don’t know why I came down here. It’s just…I feel like…”

Hatter took two steps forward, then dropped into a crouch, taking Alice’s hands in his. There was concern in those chocolate brown eyes, and something else too. Understanding, maybe?

“I feel like we’re running out of time. But I don’t know for what. Or why.”

“I’ve been having dreams too,” Hatter said softly.

“Really? You have?” Alice didn’t know why, but that made her feel so much better. She made room on the plastic bin for Hatter.

“At first I thought it was from reading that bloody book so much,” he said. “But that feeling is always there. Like we need to hurry, yeah?”

They sat in silence for a little while, until Alice was too chilly to stay any longer. She got to her feet and pulled Hatter up as well. After hesitating a moment, she grabbed the box with the fan in it as well.

“I think I’ll leave this over at Mom’s,” she explained when Hatter quirked an eyebrow at her. “I need to not have it near me.”

Hatter took the key from her and locked the storage unit back up. Together they headed out of the basement and back up to their apartment. Alice was glad to feel some warmth once the basement door was closed behind them; she hadn’t realized just how cold it was down there.

“So you’re going to your mum’s today?”

“Wedding stuff,” Alice said evasively. Hatter nodded.

“Yeah. I’ve got some of that today, too.”

They looked at each other, eyes narrowed and calculating. It was hard for Alice, keeping a secret from Hatter, but it was even more annoying to know he was doing the same. Still, if his secret was as good as hers, she couldn’t really blame him. It did make her more anxious for the wedding, though.

“Let’s eat out tonight,” Hatter suggested when they got back up to their apartment.

“Okay,” Alice agreed. “Where?”

“The new burger place?”

“It’s a date!”

*o*o*o*

“Mom! I’m here!” Alice closed her mother’s front door and shrugged off her messenger bag. She pulled out the wooden box, and tried to think where to put it. Carol was still storing some of her things in her old closet, and that seemed the most likely place for it.

“Hi, sweetie!” Carol came in, looking unusually casual in jeans and an oversized green sweater. She gave Alice a kiss on the cheek. “What’ve you got there?”

Alice looked down at the box as if seeing it for the first time. “Oh, uh…it’s nothing. Just something I want to stick in the closet, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. Here, I’ll take it.”

Carol took hold of the box at the same time Alice tried to pull it away, and it hit the floor with a splintering crash. The lid busted open, hanging drunkenly by one hinge, and the fan lay limply on the floor; Alice stared at it, horrified.

“Oh, no!” Carol cried. “I’m sorry, Alice.”

Before Alice could stop her, Carol bent down and picked up the fan. Alice immediately tensed, waiting for her mother to notice something odd about it, but she just turned it around in her hands.

“This looks really old. Where did you get it?”

“It was a…gift. From Aunt Mattie.”

Carol quirked an eyebrow at that. Aunt Mattie never gave _anything_ away. “Well, this must be extra special.”

“I guess. I was just going to put it away…”

“Oh, you know what?” Carol looked excited now, which didn’t bode well for Alice. She just wanted to put the darn thing out of sight and forget about it.

“What?”

“I can get this cleaned, and you can have it for the wedding!”

“The wedding?” Alice echoed weakly.

“You know, something old? I’ll bet that’s why Aunt Mattie gave it to you, poor old thing.”

Alice had some different words for poor old Aunt Mattie, but she didn’t dare voice them; her mother would be scandalized. And since she couldn’t come up with a believable reason not to have the damn fan at the wedding, she knew she was stuck. After all, in her mother’s eyes it was a family heirloom. The fact that it was from her father’s side of the family only made it that much more precious. She shuddered to think of what Hatter would say.

“I’ll just go call my friend Becca and get her advice on the best way to clean this,” Carol said. “The computer is all set.”

Alice watched her mother and the fan disappear down the hall. At least it was out of her apartment now; maybe she’d get a decent night’s sleep. She shook off the numbness that had enveloped her since the moment the fan hit the floor and went back to her old bedroom. It was almost time to Skype with Uncle Mike. Just a few more rehearsals and she thought she’d be ready to sing at the wedding – her surprise for Hatter.

*o*o*o*

Hatter’s mysterious errand ended up taking longer than originally planned, so Alice met him at the restaurant. Her song was coming along great, and she was so glad that Uncle Mike had agreed to accompany her on the guitar. Only for Hatter would she sing in public, but she knew how much it would mean to him. She couldn’t even begin to guess what wedding things he was working on.

“Productive day, love?” Hatter asked once they’d ordered.

“Yup. You?”

“I think so.”

They stared at each other for a long moment before bursting into laughter. Alice shook her head.

“As if I wasn’t already looking forward to the wedding, now I want to know what you’ve got planned.”

Hatter shrugged. “It’s a little thing, really. But you’ll just have to wait for it.”

“I’m tired of waiting,” Alice sighed. “I wish we were married and all of this stuff was behind us.”

“Not much longer now, love.” Hatter took her hand in his across the table, giving it a squeeze. “It’ll be perfect.”

Alice fervently hoped so. She wanted it to be perfect for Hatter, of course; he deserved it. But she was surprised to find that she wanted everything to be just right for herself as well. She’d never really thought she’d get married, but she was absolutely certain she was only doing it once.

“Did you find a place for the fan?” Hatter asked.

“Oh. Yeah. Yes. Mom’s taking care of it.” Alice fiddled with her napkin. She didn’t want to tell Hatter that the fan was likely to show up at their wedding, not if she could think of something to do about it before then.

“Alice…” Hatter clearly wasn’t convinced. She flashed him what she hoped was a normal smile.

“Really. It’s fine. Hey, did I tell you the invitations came in today?”

Hatter still looked suspicious, but he accepted the change in conversation. They spent the rest of their dinner discussing wedding details and honeymoon plans. And when Alice finally went to bed that night, any guilt she felt about keeping another secret from Hatter was tempered by the peaceful night’s sleep she had.

Besides, she had plenty of time to ditch the fan. She was sure of it.


	28. You're Invited

  
**You’re Invited**

_“I will always keep falling in love with you.”_

Alice Hamilton  
and  
David Hatter

Cordially invite you to  
share in the celebration of their love  
as they join together in the bonds of matrimony.

April 3rd, 2:00 pm  
Bow Bridge, Central Park

Reception to follow at The Loeb Boathouse, Central Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** Quote by Karen Clodfelder


	29. It Happened One Night

**Part One: The Bachelor Party**

Hatter wasn’t entirely clear on the whole concept of the bachelor party, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want one. Peter and Edward had promised him an authentic American bachelor party, whatever that meant, and he’d been looking forward to it all week. Alice was going out with Lena and Daisy as well, for a girl’s night out. 

“Have fun,” Alice said. “But not _too_ much fun.”

Hatter flipped his new fedora up on his head, then grabbed Alice for a quick snog. One more week and she’d be his wife; the thought still made him giddy.

“Same goes for you, love. I know the trouble Lena gets into.”

And really, Hatter didn’t mind Alice having a night out. It was some kind of Oyster ritual, as if all the fun would be gone once the vows were said. Having Lena in the mix was a different kettle of onions, though. Luckily, he’d be able to avoid her tonight, since Alice was meeting the girls at Lena’s hotel.

“I’ll do my best,” Alice promised with a grin. “Now get going before Peter comes up to get you.”

Hatter got in one last kiss and then he was out the door and down the stairs. Peter and Edward were waiting outside. The weather was still a bit cool, though most of the snow had melted off. Hatter buttoned up his coat as he went down the front steps.

“There’s the man of the hour,” Edward said. He gave Hatter a hearty handshake. “This’ll be a night to remember, boys.”

“Should I even ask?”

“Nope.” Edward hailed a cab. Hatter stuffed himself in the back between Peter and Edward. The murmured directions were too low for him to hear, so he just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

“Do you know what the girls are doing tonight?” Peter asked, looking uncomfortable.

“No. You?”

“No. I hope they’ll be okay. I mean, Daisy’s not the kind of girl to get all crazy.” Peter looked out the window. “She’ll be okay, right?”

“Don’t worry about Daisy,” Hatter said. “Alice will see she’s alright.”

He fervently hoped that was true. It was all too easy for him to imagine Lena corrupting the younger, more innocent girl. Still, how much trouble could they really get into? Hatter was pretty sure they were only going out to a bar or something.

“We’re here!” Edward announced cheerfully when the cab stopped. Hatter got out and looked incredulously at the sign on the building in front of him.

**Boo-Boo Kitty’s All-Girl Revue**

*o*o*o*

They’d been in the strip club all of twenty minutes, but Hatter was already getting fidgety. It wasn’t that the girls were ugly; quite the opposite, really. He was reminded of some of the Tea Shop parties from back in the day, which were far more raucous than this. Still, it was different for him now, and seeing bare-breasted strangers just made him feel…guilty. And awkward.

Edward and Peter didn’t seem to be faring much better, even though it had been Edward’s idea. Peter was nursing a beer and steadfastly looking down at the table, while Edward looked like a tomato from blushing so much. Was this really how Oyster’s celebrated impending marriages?

“So…” Hatter cast about for a topic of conversation. An extremely well-endowed woman wearing only a thong danced around a pole three feet from where he was sitting, which proved somewhat distracting. He’d much rather watch his Alice dance for him.

“I was thinking,” Peter said suddenly. “There’s this great pub uptown. You guys would really like it. Very laid back…and…you know.”

“Sounds nice. What do you think, Edward?” Hatter didn’t want to hurt the man’s feelings, but he clearly wasn’t having a good time either.

“Let’s go.”

They each tossed some money down on the table and high-tailed it to the door. Hatter let out a sigh of relief once they were street side again. He and Peter exchanged grins.

“I’m sorry, boys,” Edward said, his hands stuffed in his pockets. “I guess that wasn’t the best idea.”

“It’s nothing,” Hatter said. He clapped Edward on the back. “I’m glad just being out with my friends.”

“So where’s this pub?” Edward asked.

*o*o*o*

The Brown Dog Pub was perfect. The atmosphere was as laid back as Peter had promised, but everyone was extremely friendly. There was a live band playing, the songs mostly peppy and featuring some instruments Hatter had never seen before. Even the beer was better – thick dark stuff they called Guinness.

“This must remind you more of home,” Edward said, making quick work of his pint. Hatter was momentarily confused, then he figured that the part of England most people assumed he was from had pubs likes this.

“Almost as good as being there, yeah?” He toasted Edward and Peter. How had he never had this kind of beer before? He’d have to tell Alice about it.

Edward went to get them another round and returned with five strangers who wanted to drink to Hatter’s upcoming happiness. Several pints later – Hatter had given up keeping track – the entire pub had joined in the celebration. The Guinness was flowing freely and he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt so completely carefree.

“Tell us about your girl,” someone said.

“Is she a looker?”

Hatter grinned. “My Alice is the best. You’ve never seen bluer eyes, I guarantee.”

“Here’s to Alice!” someone shouted, and everyone drank her a toast. The band immediately launched into a song that had Alice’s name in it and Hatter nodded at the lyrics.

  
_And so a secret kiss_   
_Brings madness with the bliss_   
_And I will think of this_   
_When I'm dead in my grave_   
_Set me adrift and I'm lost over there_   
_And I must be insane_   
_To go skating on your name_   
_And by tracing it twice_   
_I fell through the ice_   
_Of Alice_   
_There's only Alice_   


“She’s completely done me in,” Hatter said. “She’s everything.”

“Pretty she may be, but is she a good lay?” someone in the crowd called out. Hatter was immediately on his feet, shrugging off Peter’s hand on his arm.

“Oi! You don’t talk about my Alice that way!”

“That means no,” the man laughed.

“Right.” Hatter finished what was left of his pint before throwing himself into the crowd to teach the loudmouth a lesson or three.

*o*o*o*

Hatter didn’t know how he heard the sound of sirens over the sounds of fighting, but he froze long enough to allow a punch to connect painfully with his jaw. Hatter swung back, toppling the red-faced man in front of him. He looked around for Peter and Edward. They needed to get out of the pub, now! He’d never had any problem with the Oyster police, but that didn’t make him any less fearful of them.

Spotting Peter trying to keep out of the fray over by the bar, Hatter made his way through the crowd. As easily as the patrons had joined in the celebration, they’d been equally enthusiastic about joining in the fight.

“Hatter? Holy crap!” Someone grabbed his arm, stopping his forward progress. Hatter whirled around, fist at the ready, and then he froze for the second time. The wiry man in front of him was no stranger; Hatter recognized him from the Tea Shop parties.

“Fox?” 

“I’ll explain later. This way.” Fox grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the back of the pub, luckily in the same direction he’d already been headed. Edward was of the same mind, and they both converged on Peter at the same time.

“This way!” Hatter shouted over the din. He took hold of Peter’s jacket and tugged him along behind, Edward sticking close. Fox took them through a door behind the bar, into the kitchen, and out into the alley behind the pub. They paused there for a moment to catch their breath, and Hatter couldn’t help but grin at the adrenalin pumping through his veins; it had been a while since been in a brawl, and he’d never tell Alice how much fun he’d had doing it.

“Christ, I need another beer,” Edward panted. “I’m too old for this sort of thing.”

“Come with me, gents, I’ve just the thing.” Fox led them through another alley, and in the back door of another building which led to an area of offices. He paused a moment before yet another door.

“Welcome to my place. The Fox’s Den.” With a flourish, he opened the door to reveal a richly appointed, dimly lit dance club. Hatter’s practiced eye took in the decent crowd size as well as the lovely girls dancing on stage. No strip club this, it was more like the dance clubs back in Wonderland – more suggestive than anything else. It was perfect.

“Drinks are on the house,” Fox said. Hatter slung his arm around the man’s neck.

“Fox, you’ve no idea how happy I am to see you.”

*o*o*o*

Hatter woke with a groan. His head was pounding and his mouth was dry as a week-old biscuit. He kept his eyes winched shut against the stabbing brightness of the light, and tried to work out where he was. There was a mattress under him, thin and narrow and uncomfortable. Not home, then.

“Good morning,” a voice said. It took Hatter a moment to work out who it belonged to, and when he did he suddenly felt even sicker.

“Carol?” Why was Carol here? Where was here?

“I see you’re all feeling fine this morning.”

There was nothing for it. Hatter pushed himself up into a sitting position and cracked his eyes open. And saw bars. Metal bars. Headache forgotten, he was instantly on his feet.

“What is this? Jail? Am I in jail?” His heart was racing. How the hell had he gotten here? Carol stood on the other side of the bars, arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. On the bench against the far wall were Peter and Edward, each looking just as miserable as he felt. Fairly disheveled as well.

For the first time, Hatter was aware of throbbing along his jaw and some discomfort around his ribs. Had he been fighting? He searched his foggy memory, and recalled something about someone saying bad things about Alice. Had he hurt the man? Had he used his right hand and…had he _killed_ someone?

“Carol, you have to believe me! Whatever happened, I didn’t mean it!” He curled his hands around the bars, taking note of the bruising on his knuckles.

“Relax, David. Just a bit of public indecency, public intoxication and resisting arrest.” Carol reached out and patted one of his hands. “Luckily Edward had the sense to call me. Now, I’ve paid your bail so why don’t we get out of here. Looks like you guys could use some breakfast.”

While Carol went off to find an officer to unlock the cell, Hatter ran a hand through his hair, then looked around for his hat. No hat. Peter and Edward joined him, both looking sheepish.

“One heck of a night, eh?” Peter asked.

“Do you remember any of it?” Hatter kept trying to remember, but once they’d gotten to the pub it all got hazy and indistinct.

“I kind of remember getting into a fight,” Peter said.

“I don’t usually drink.” Edward shrugged. “I remember going to the pub, but not much else.”

Hatter wished he had his hat. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, then looked startled. He pulled out his left hand, from which dangled a sparkly red g-string. Oh, this was bad.

“Hatter?” Peter looked at him with wide eyes. “Where did that come from?”

“I’ve no bloody idea.” Hearing Carol returning, Hatter hastily shoved the g-string back in his pocket. He fervently hoped he hadn’t done anything regrettable last night.

“Okay, you three,” Carol said. “Let’s get out of here. There’s a diner on the corner.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton,” Peter mumbled as he walked past her.

“I’ll repay you the cost of bail,” Edward promised.

“Carol…” Hatter didn’t know what to say. She just smiled and gave him a hug.

“It was a bachelor party, David. No-one ever needs to know what happened.”

Hatter followed her out of the police station, relieved. Not knowing what had happened was probably for the best; at least he wouldn’t have to lie to Alice. Once they got out on the street, Hatter discreetly tossed the g-string in a trash can. And vowed not to so much as think of it again.

* * *

**Part Two: Bachelorette Party**

“Let’s go, bitches!” Lena sang out. She opened the door of her hotel room, waiting for Alice and Daisy to get their coats on. They were all dressed casually in jeans and special shirts that Lena had made – hers and Daisy’s were pink and said BRIDESMAIDS across the front. Alice’s shirt was white and said BRIDE; it came with a paper veil that Lena insisted she wear.

“I feel like an idiot in this,” Alice complained.

“Oh, but you look so _cute_!” Daisy cried. She’d been incredibly enthusiastic about everything so far, and Alice wasn’t sure she could take a whole night of Daisyness.

“What about this stuff?” Alice held up a giant pair of granny panties, a gag gift from Lena who said they were for those fight nights. It was one gift of many that Lena and Daisy had lavished on her, all of it lingerie of varying respectability. The one she liked best was from Daisy, a frothy blue confection that Alice was going to save for the honeymoon.

“Leave it,” Lena said carelessly. “I’ll bring it over tomorrow. Tonight, we party!”

“Where are we going?” Alice asked, pulling the door shut behind her. Lena turned around with a grin.

“Mario’s.”

“Oh, no! No!”

Daisy looked between them, confused. “What’s Mario’s?”

“It’s a male strip club,” Alice explained. “Lena, I don’t want to go there.”

Lena tugged her arm, practically dragging her down the hall.

“It’s your bachelorette party, Alice, and we’re going to do it right. So stop being a stick in the mud and pretend you can still remember how to have fun.”

“I know how to have fun!” Alice protested.

“Then let’s have some, for God’s sake!”

“I’ve never been to a _strip_ club,” Daisy said with wide eyes.

“Well, sister, prepare yourself for a kick ass time!” Lena linked her arm with Daisy’s, shot Alice a glare, and made her way to the elevator. Alice rolled her eyes and followed, resigned to whatever crazy plans Lena had made for the night.

*o*o*o*

Mario’s was hopping, packed with a large crowd of women of all ages…and some men as well. Alice had fun watching Daisy take it all in, her eyes as big as saucers. The music was pounding, the man currently on stage gyrating in time with it; he wore only a g-string that left little to the imagination. Lena procured them seats at a corner table and they were soon toasting Alice’s upcoming wedding with strawberry daiquiris.

“This is what I’m talking about, girls,” Lena said with a satisfied grin. “You know the boys are probably at some strip joint tonight, so why shouldn’t we get some too?”

“Oh, _no_!” Daisy looked distressed. “Do you think that’s where they went?”

Alice patted her hand. “I don’t think they went there, Daisy. Edward’s too old to like that kind of thing.”

Lena smirked, but Daisy looked relieved. Alice only hoped she’d been telling the truth; the thought of Hatter out seeing strippers was unsettling. He’d never given her cause to be jealous that way – he was always very attentive – but she couldn’t forget that he was in fact a man.

By the time the third round of daiquiris was almost gone, Alice was feeling a whole lot looser. She’d made Lena promise not to let her get too drunk, but she thought one or two more drinks would be okay. They sure tasted good.

“These are so _good_!” Daisy echoed. “I never thought a strip club could be so much _fun_!”

“You feeling okay, Alice?” Lena asked.

“I’m good,” Alice giggled.

“Oh, good. Cause here comes Jason.”

“Jason?”

Sure enough, one of the strippers was making his way across the room, a red rose clenched between his teeth. He wore a pair of tight black pants and nothing else. Alice had no idea how he was at dancing, but he certainly had a nice set of abs.

“Jason’s _yummy_ ,” Daisy whispered. Alice couldn’t help but nod.

“He’s gonna give you a lap dance,” Lena said with a grin.

“What? Oh!” Alice flushed. She felt like she should’ve put up some kind of argument, but Jason and his well-defined muscles was getting closer. His hair was long and wavy, brushing sexily around his shoulders.

“Can we give him money?” Daisy asked, already reaching into her purse.

“Sure thing, honey.” Lena reached for some of her own.

Not wanting to be left out, Alice groped blindly for her own wallet, which was sitting on the table. Her hand hit her half-full glass and sent it flying; strawberry daiquiri splashed out on the polished wood floor just as Jason made his approach.

To Alice, it all happened in slow motion. Jason took a step in the frozen drink and his foot slid, shooting out behind him. He flailed, the rose dropping from his mouth, hands grasping for something to stop his forward momentum as he pitched forward. As he went down on one knee Alice tried to back out of his way, but only succeeded in tipping the chair back so that Jason’s nose connected with the edge of it. The chair clattered back down on all four legs and Alice found herself with Jason’s bloody face in her lap, one of his hands clutching her knee and the other latched on to Daisy’s breast.

Alice shot a panicked look at Lena, who stared back at her with her mouth gaping open.

“Oh my fucking God,” Lena breathed. And then she dissolved into laughter. Alice had some hateful thoughts for her in that moment. She looked back down at the head in her lap, which was moaning softly.

“Um…Jason? Are you okay?” Alice patted his head awkwardly. She really, really wanted him to move. Thank goodness she’d worn jeans!

Jason lifted up his head, and it was clear to Alice that his nose was broken. Blood was streaming out of it, and she grimaced when she saw how much of it was on her jeans. Daisy, who had been staring at Jason’s grasping hand with a kind of dazed horror the whole time, finally let out a breath when he moved it to cover his face.

“By dose!” Jason said, his voice muffled by his hands and distorted by his injury.

“We need to get him to a _hospital_!” Daisy cried. She rubbed discreetly at her chest; Alice hoped Jason hadn’t bruised her. 

“Just call an ambulance or something,” Lena gasped, wiping the tears out of her eyes. Alice was about to say something but fiery little Daisy took control of the situation.

“This is our fault, Lena, and we need to take him! We _owe_ him!” Daisy stood up, dropping some money on the table and gathering up their coats and purses. Lena frowned, but she offered no further complaints; instead she helped Jason get to his feet and thrust some napkins in his hand to staunch the blood flow.

“You okay Alice?” Daisy asked, wrapping her arm around Jason’s waist even though he didn’t seem to be having any trouble walking.

“Yeah. I think so.” Alice got herself together and tried to ignore the dampness on her thigh where Jason had bled on her.

“Let’s just get this guy to the hospital and get back to the party,” Lena grumbled.

*o*o*o*

Alice sat in a vinyl waiting room chair, flipping through an old issue of Family Circle magazine. Daisy was chatting amiably a couple seats away with Jason, who was still waiting to be seen for his nose. Lena was hitting up the vending machines, grumbling about all the fun they were missing.

It had taken a while to get to the hospital. They’d had to track down Jason’s boss first, and find some shoes and a coat for Jason. Lena had hailed a cab and they all piled in the backseat, Daisy sitting on Lena’s lap for the trip. Alice had apologized profusely while Jason just nodded wearily.

Now she was ready to just call it a night. Her happy buzz was wearing off and she wanted to get changed out of those jeans. Jason had told them they could go, but Daisy insisted on staying with him until he was seen by a doctor.

“This blows,” Lena huffed, dropping into the seat next to Alice. She had a handful of candy bars, none of which she seemed inclined to share.

“Maybe we should just go home,” Alice suggested. Lena gave her a death glare, so Alice just sighed and turned back to a page of crock pot recipes. She hoped Hatter was having a more successful night than she was. Although she couldn’t think of any way to be having a worse time.

Ten minutes later Jason disappeared with a doctor and a handful of money that Daisy gave him for cab fare back home. Alice was sure she’d want to just go home, but she was surprised again.

“There’s this _cute_ little pub that Peter and I go to a lot,” Daisy said. “Why don’t we go there? They make _really_ good Irish coffees.”

Lena shrugged. “Okay by me, as long as we’re still out.”

Daisy clapped her hands. “Oh, you girls are gonna love the Brown Dog!”

*o*o*o*

It was clear to Alice as soon as the cab pulled up in front of the pub that there was a problem. There was a crowd of drunken revelers sitting out on the sidewalk, and the front door was propped open, the glass broken out of it.

“Uh oh,” Lena said.

“What _happened_?” Daisy asked someone in the crowd.

“Bit of a fight, that’s all,” the man replied with a wink. “Can’t get back in tonight, I’m afraid.”

“But we’ve got plenty of beer!” someone else cried.

“Isn’t that illegal?” Alice whispered to Lena, who shrugged in response.

Daisy’s lip poked out in a pout. “Well, poo. You really would have liked it, Alice.”

“Alice!” A cheer went up from the men. Those with beers held them aloft. “Here’s to Alice, may she be well bedded!”

Alice blushed, even though she knew they must be talking about someone else by that name. Lena laughed.

“You can bet your ass she will be, boys!” This set off another cheer, and Lena happily shared a beer with a large man wearing a Celtics jersey.

“So what now?” Alice asked. Lena and Daisy exchanged a look, and Lena shrugged.

“To be honest, I have no idea. I wasn’t planning on things sucking so bad.”

“Things don’t suck,” Daisy said. “It’s been an _adventure_!”

Alice considered their options. “You know, there’s a liquor store up the street there…we passed it on our way here. Let’s walk up, get some drink mix, and go back to my place.”

Again, Lena and Daisy shared a look. Lena nodded.

“I think that sounds _great_ ,” Daisy enthused. And whether or not they meant it, Alice was just glad they agreed.

“See you later, guys!” Lena called out to the crowd. There were some catcalls and cheers in response.

“Best of luck to you, Alice!” someone called out.

“Um…thanks?” Alice pulled Lena and Daisy up the sidewalk with her.

They walked in silence for a bit, until Lena’s attention was caught by a glowing neon sign.

“Fox’s Den? Maybe we should try this one.”

“Uh uh,” Daisy said. “That’s got the _girl dancers_.”

“Figures,” Lena grumbled.

“Oh, don’t feel so bad,” Alice said. She threw an arm around Lena’s shoulders. “If Jason hadn’t broken his nose, that would’ve been one hot lap dance.”

“Don’t tell Peter, but I wouldn’t have minded a dance myself,” Daisy giggled.

“Geez, we’re corrupting the innocent one,” Lena laughed.

“I’m not _that_ innocent.” Daisy winked at both of them, setting them all laughing.

They walked on by, none of them commenting on the variety of g-strings and lacy bras that were fluttering from various windows and hanging off the sign.

*o*o*o*

Alice sprawled on the couch, wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of socks. She contemplated the sloe gin fizz in her hand, handcrafted in her own blender.

“Do you think it’s much different? Marriage?”

“Dunno.” Lena, her head propped up on a couch pillow, regarded Alice from the floor. A bag of chocolate chip cookies rested near her hip. “I don’t think I’ll ever get married.”

“How come?” Daisy asked. She was curled up in the arm chair, eyes glazed over.

“I like variety,” Lena replied. “Marry one guy, you’re stuck with the same thing every day. Boring.”

“I’d like to get married,” Daisy said dreamily.

“To Peter?” Alice teased.

“Well, he’d be my first choice.” Daisy giggled, and finished off her own drink. “Pass the cookies.”

Lena tossed the bag.

“Well, I don’t think it’s boring,” Alice said. “All I want is Hatter. Forever.”

“That’s beautiful,” Daisy sighed through a mouthful of cookie.

“Whatever works for you, I guess,” Lena conceded.

“You know, this has been a great night,” Alice said. “I’m glad you guys wanted to go out with me.”

“Don’t get all sentimental,” Lena admonished. “Or no more fizzies for you.”

“No, I mean it!” Alice pushed herself into a seated position, the room spinning just a little. “I almost had a lap dance. And a bunch of drunk guys toasted me. That was kinda cool.”

“That woman in the liquor store was ready to hook you up with a tampon,” Lena laughed. Alice laughed along with her, though it hadn’t been funny at the time; she’d been mortified, and had to insist that the blood on her pants wasn’t her own. She hoped it was still funny in the morning, when she was sober.

The phone rang and Alice stumbled to her feet. It took her a minute to find it, and when she answered it she had no clue who she was talking to.

“Hello? Yeah, this is Alice. Who? From where? Oh. What? Hatter did what? Yeah. Okay. No, it’s fine. Thanks.”

Alice hung up and stood staring at the phone for a minute or two, trying to make sense of the conversation she’d just had.

“Who was it?” Lena asked, passing through on her way to the kitchen.

“Dunno. Some friend of Hatter’s. He said something about Hatter peeing on a statue in Central Park.”

Lena snorted, and then all three of them were laughing so hard they were crying.

“What did he want you to do about it?” Lena asked. Alice shrugged, wiping at her face. 

“I have no idea. Peeing outside, that’s a guy thing.”

“You ever wish you could?” Daisy asked, following them into the kitchen.

“Could what? Pee outside? Been there, done that.” Lena dumped more ice and alcohol into the blender. “Not as fun as it sounds.”

“Sometimes I think it would just be _convenient_ to have a penis,” Daisy said.

Alice and Lena cracked up again, until Alice was holding her stomach.

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Lena gasped. “Speaking of penises…”

“No,” Alice said. “We are not talking about Hatter’s penis, now or ever. Not enough booze in the world, Lena.”

Lena shrugged. “It was worth a shot.”

Once again armed with drinks, they wandered back into the living room. The last thing Alice remembered of her bachelorette party was Lena trying to show Daisy how to do some porn star dancing.

*o*o*o*

The sound of Hatter’s key in the door woke Alice the next morning. She’d fallen asleep on the couch and one arm was numb. She looked up at him, blearily, her head throbbing a bit from her overindulgence the night before. Hatter looked pretty bad…hatless, hair disheveled more than usual, and a bruise blooming along his jaw. His clothes were rumpled and stained, his eyes bloodshot.

“Hatter? You look terrible.”

“Why are you sleeping out here, love?” Hatter kicked off his shoes and collapsed next to her.

“No clue,” Alice admitted. “How was the bachelor party?”

“You don’t want to know. How was yours?”

“Ditto.” Alice curled up next to him, her head on his shoulder. She noticed the dirty glasses and crumbs on the coffee table. Wherever Lena and Daisy had gotten off to, they hadn’t cleaned up first. Still, they’d had some fun. Alice smiled to herself, remembering the events of her bachelorette party. And then she remembered something else.

“Hey! Did you pee on a statue?”

“What?” Hatter looked down at her, his brow furrowed.

“Some guy called last night, said you peed on a statue in Central Park.” Alice pulled back from Hatter, watched as he tried to call up that particular memory. She wondered how much he’d had to drink, if something like that had been forgotten.

“Statue? I don’t…” And then Alice saw the light of understanding shine in his eyes. His wide, shocked eyes.

“You did, didn’t you?” Alice laughed, more at the expression on Hatter’s face than what he’d done. “Which one?”

“I’m not sure, but…I think…the Alice in Wonderland statue. I think I pissed on the Hatter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** Special thanks to J, Alaina Downs, Celticbriarrose, Raeni12345 and Smiles2go for their helpful suggestions regarding bachelor and bachelorette parties. What a team! ::grins::
> 
> The song that plays in the pub for Hatter is Alice by Tom Waits.


	30. Surprise Guests

Hatter and Alice decided to spend the night before the wedding with Alice’s family. Hatter had suggested a rooftop barbeque, and Alice had loved the idea. Though it was still cool at night, Mr. Greenlee had leant them two patio heaters in addition to his barbeque grill. When Hatter had offered to pay him a rental fee, Mr. Greenlee waved him off and said it was his contribution to their wedding.

“This looks wonderful!” Carol said, stepping out from the stairway door.

“Festive, yeah?” Hatter asked. Alice had put up white Christmas lights, making everything twinkle. Chairs and tables had been set up, and each table had a candle flickering in a glass bowl in the center. The heaters kept a decent sized section of the roof warm, and the barbeque was primed and ready to go.

“I can’t believe my baby is getting married tomorrow,” Carol said with a sniffle. Alice gave her a hug.

“Pull yourself together, Mom.” Alice grinned at her. 

“Your family should be here in an hour,” Hatter said.

“After tomorrow they’ll be your family too,” Alice reminded him. Hatter just grinned. Alice knew he was excited at the prospect of having a big family, and luckily the Hamiltons were just as excited to welcome him into theirs. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was.

“I’ll get the cooler,” Hatter said. He disappeared down the stairs.

“Cooler! I forgot to get ice!” Alice smacked herself in the head.

“Relax, Alice.” Carol pushed her towards the stairs. “I’ll come with you to the market and we’ll get some.”

Alice popped into the apartment, where Hatter was stacking cases of soda and beer. “We’ll be right back, Hatter. I forgot the ice.”

Hatter just waved her off, so Carol and Alice walked to the market. Alice was on edge; she kept running through wedding details, trying to see if she’d forgotten anything. She wanted tomorrow to be perfect, for Hatter as much as for herself. Alice Hamilton was finally getting married, and it was no small thing.

“Gram and Poppy got in okay, right?” Alice asked her mother. 

“Everyone is here, Alice. They checked in at the hotel, they have directions to your apartment, and they’ll be here right on time. Relax, sweetie.”

“I’ll relax on Sunday,” Alice grumbled. “No. No I won’t, either. I’ll be packing for the honeymoon.”

More mental lists were gone over, things checked off or added on. Carol just rolled her eyes. They had to wait about fifteen minutes at the market, which was unusually busy, just to buy two bags of ice. Alice started fretting about warm drinks and worrying that the family would come early and Hatter would be overwhelmed.

“I hope he started the barbeque,” she said. “Those steaks are going to take a while, and everyone’s going to be hungry.”

“Everything will be fine, Alice,” Carol said for the hundredth time. She shifted the bag of ice in her arms. “If you don’t calm down I’m going to slip you a Valium.”

“At this point, I just might take one,” Alice said.

Finally they were back at the apartment building. Alice usually took the stairs, but the ice was making her arms go numb so they took the elevator up to the top floor instead, then just one flight of stairs up to the roof. Even before she stepped out onto the roof, Alice could smell the steaks cooking. The steaks and something else, something familiar that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“What is that?” she asked aloud. “That doesn’t smell like steak. It almost reminds me of…”

Alice forgot what she was going to say when she came in view of the tables. Hatter was sitting with an elderly gentleman who wore an ill-fitting brown suit and a tweed driving cap on his head. His white beard curled and quivered as he talked. Alice felt the bag of ice slip out of her hands.

“Charlie?”

“Just Alice!” Charlie was on his feet at once, and soon had Alice in a warm embrace. “Is this not magical? Once again the divine forces have brought us together!”

Alice was at a complete loss for words. She hugged Charlie back, and the smell of him – all piney woods and lemon soap – brought tears to her eyes. She never thought she’d see him again; had in fact missed him terribly. When he would have let her go, Alice continued to cling to him and cry into his shoulder. 

“Alice? Love, what’s wrong?” Hatter was at her side, his hand on her back.

“What did I do?” Charlie asked nervously.

“Nothing. I’m sorry.” Alice pulled away and wiped at her face. “It’s just…I can’t believe you’re really here!”

Charlie took her hands in his and beamed at her. “I had a vision! The great oracle said you had need of a Knight, and so I went at once to see the King. He outfitted me with these articles of clothing I now wear and sent me to you.”

“And you brought me borogove?” Alice asked incredulously, having identified the unusual smell.

“Harbinger tells me you are to be married on the morrow,” Charlie continued. “I shall of course escort you.”

“What?”

“He means to walk you down the aisle, love,” Hatter said softly.

Alice could feel more tears running down her face. She had intended to walk alone, since her father wasn’t there to do the honors. And she’d been fine with that decision. But if she couldn’t have her father there, then Charlie was the absolute next best thing.

“Oh, Charlie!” Alice hugged him again, part of her feeling ridiculous for being so emotional. The wedding had her hormones in an uproar, it would seem. Hopefully Hatter wouldn’t change his mind about marrying her after this soggy display she was putting on.

“Are you going to introduce me?” Carol asked. Her own eyes were gleaming with tears. She knew who Charlie was, of course; she’d heard the stories from Alice and Hatter. But Alice was grateful for the distraction.

“I’m sorry. Mom, this is Sir Charles Eustace Forthringay le Malvois the Third, White Knight of the Realm. Charlie, this is my mom, Carol.”

Charlie took Carol’s hand and bowed over it. “Lady Carol, it is indeed an honor to meet you.”

“Likewise, Sir Charles.”

Alice stared at the pair of them. Did her mother just giggle? She looked at Hatter, who seemed as surprised as she was, and then she was giggling herself. The whole situation was absurd, which just made it funnier. And then she thought of something that immediately sobered her.

“What are we going to tell everyone about Charlie?” 

Three of them shared a panicked look, and then Carol took charge of the situation. “We’ll tell them he’s David’s uncle, and he surprised us because we’d thought he couldn’t come to the wedding.”

“You want me to _lie_?” Charlie looked offended and Alice was quick to soothe his hurt feelings.

“My mom is the only one who knows about Wonderland, Charlie. The others won’t understand, and they’ll just get upset.”

“That means no mention of Carpenter, yeah?” Hatter put in. “It’s his family and they don’t know he’s died.”

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Carol said. “But it would mean a lot to me. I don’t want anything to spoil the wedding.”

In the face of all that pleading, Charlie was helpless. He huffed around a bit more, but agreed to keep Wonderland a secret from the Hamiltons. Carol sat down with him at one of the tables, gave him something to drink, and kept him occupied until the rest of the family arrived.

“This is going to be a long night,” Alice sighed.

*o*o*o*

Four hours later everyone had gone, leaving Alice and Hatter alone on the rooftop with guttering candles and a garbage bag full of paper plates, napkins and borogove bones. Alice was both exhausted and edgy; it had been a really long day, and now she would be sleeping apart from Hatter for the first time since she’d moved in with him. It was a stupid custom, she thought now, but Carol had insisted.

“That went well,” Hatter commented. He was stretched out on the wicker loveseat with his legs dangling over one side and his head in Alice’s lap. His hat was propped up on his knee.

“Charlie was a big hit,” Alice agreed. 

The White Knight was down in their apartment, setting himself up on the couch for the night. He’d totally charmed the Hamiltons, and Alice’s grandmother had remarked that not only did Hatter favor his “uncle” but she could see they had similar personalities as well. The ensuing look of mutual outrage that Hatter and Charlie shared had made Alice choke on her soda.

Alice tilted her head back and closed her eyes, one hand absently running through Hatter’s hair. She still hadn’t quite recovered from the shock of finding Charlie on her roof, and that hadn’t even been the only surprise of the evening.

“I can’t believe your crazy aunt is coming,” Hatter moaned. Alice grinned; he was reading her mind again.

Uncle Tom had dropped that bomb partway through dinner. Alice had sent Aunt Mattie an invitation, of course, but it had been a courtesy invite; no-one had expected her to come. But come she had. Gram had confirmed that Aunt Mattie was ensconced at their very same hotel and was planning on surprising Alice by showing up at the wedding tomorrow. Alice was more than grateful to her uncle for saving her from that. She’d still have to feign surprise, but it wouldn’t be a big shock at least. And that piece of bad news had led to another.

“I have to tell you something,” Alice said with a sigh. She looked down at Hatter, who was looking back up at her.

“Love you too,” he said with a grin. Alice laughed and bent over to press a kiss to his lips.

“I do, but that’s not what I need to tell you.”

Hatter pushed himself up so he was sitting beside her. He looked at her expectantly.

“The thing is, Mom got this idea in her head to fix up the fan and have me use it in the wedding,” Alice said as quickly as she could.

“You’re joking.”

“Unfortunately, no. But I had her convinced that it wasn’t a good idea, and now that Aunt Mattie’s coming Mom thinks she’ll want to see us using it and she’s insisting that it’s the right thing to do and I don’t know what to tell her.”

Now that she’d gotten it out, Alice felt relieved. She’d been so close to having her mom give up on the fan-in-the-wedding idea, only to have Aunt Mattie revive it just by coming. Alice knew full well that she hadn’t been given the fan to carry around on her wedding day, but she didn’t want to tell her mother that. Didn’t want to tell her that she was descended from the First Alice, because she herself still hadn’t come to grips with all that implied.

“Bloody hell,” Hatter muttered. “I’ll have to talk to Charlie, yeah?”

“Will he be able to…feel it, like you do?” Alice asked.

“Seems likely. Don’t want to give the old boy heart failure.”

“I’m sorry, Hatter.”

“None of that, love,” Hatter said. He pulled Alice to his side and wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing will spoil our day.”

Alice rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s not too late to elope.”

“And have all those Hamiltons come after me? You’ll not get out of it that easy.” Hatter kissed the top of her head. “You should get to your mum’s. Get some sleep.”

“I won’t be able to sleep without you,” Alice murmured.

“Just for tonight, love. Then you’ll never have to be without me again.”

“Promise?”

Hatter kissed her, soft and sweet. “Promise.”


	31. The Wedding: Ceremony

Carol’s living room had been turned into Bride Central. Two large mirrors had been brought in, and every available surface was covered in satin and flowers and makeup. It was almost noon, and things were shifting into high gear. Alice’s grandmother was touching up Lena’s makeup, and Daisy was helping Alice get into her dress. Carol herself was lending a hand wherever it was needed, and snapping countless pictures.

“I knew we should’ve had the photographer come early,” Alice said.

“I have everything under control,” Carol retorted, and took a picture of Alice sticking out her tongue.

“You need to get dressed, CeeCee,” Aunt Patty called from the kitchen. She was fixing a light snack for Alice to eat, since the reception wasn’t for another three hours. “Viv, give her a hand.”

“I can dress myself,” Carol protested.

“Then give Viv the camera and go do it!”

Alice just shook her head and admired her dress in the mirror while Daisy did up the buttons on the back. The dress had been made to Alice’s specifications – it was sleeveless, and the entire front panel was a light baby blue, made to look like the dress she’d worn in Wonderland. It matched Lena’s dress, which was a tight-fitting satin sheath in the same shade of blue. Once they were ready to go, they each had white bolero jackets to slip on to keep them at least moderately warm.

“Are you ready for the hat?” Daisy asked. Alice shook her head.

“Not yet.” Alice turned and tried to see her back in the mirror. “Does everything look okay?”

“You look beautiful!” Lena called out.

“Like an angel,” Gram agreed with a sigh.

Alice turned back around, smoothing her hands down the front of the dress. She had to admit she looked good. Her hair hung in big, loose curls over her shoulders, and would look great with the half-size white top hat she’d chosen instead of a veil or tiara. The bottom of the dress skimmed her ankles, showing off the white boots with the blue lace ties.

“Oh, Alice.” Carol came back into the room, wearing an off-white pants suit with a blue shell top under the jacket. “You look so beautiful, sweetie.”

Alice hugged her. “So do you, Mom.”

Aunt Viv took some pictures of them together, and then Carol pulled a box out from the coffee table drawer. Alice tried to keep from wincing.

“Here’s your something old,” Carol said. She opened the box, and even Alice had to admit that the fan looked beautiful. While it wasn’t quite white, most of the yellowing was gone and the lacey detail was more evident.

“That’s so _pretty_ ,” Daisy said, looking over Carol’s shoulder.

With a trembling hand, Alice took the fan out of the box and looped the cord on the end around her wrist. She almost expected there to be a spark or a jolt or something, but it just hung there.

“And here’s your something new,” Lena said. She handed Alice a small white box; nestled inside were little gold earrings in the shape of teacups. Alice laughed.

“I love them! Thank you!” She immediately removed the plain gold hoops she’d already had in and replaced them with the teacups. Hatter would love them.

“Something borrowed,” Gram said, stepping forward. She fastened a double-strand pearl choker around Alice’s neck. “My mother gave that to me on my wedding day.”

Alice ran her fingers over it, near tears now. She couldn’t believe how much all of this meant to her, and how she might not have had it at all without Hatter. One more thing out of thousands that she owed him for.

“Don’t cry, or Rose will have to redo your makeup,” Aunt Patty commanded. She was swinging something around on her finger, and Alice couldn’t make it out until she stopped and stretched it out with both hands.

“Something blue,” Aunt Patty said with a grin. It was a blue satin and lace garter decorated with little white satin flowers and a tiny red heart. Alice couldn’t help but laugh. She propped her foot up on a chair and slid the garter up to her thigh while everyone hooted and whistled.

“Time for the hat,” Lena decided. She and Daisy got it secured on Alice’s head with some hair pins, and then everyone stepped back to get the full effect. Alice couldn’t help but smile. The girls had put the hat at a jaunty angle, and it just looked so cool.

“Dave’s tongue is going to fall out when he sees you,” Lena commented.

“Oh yeah?” Daisy countered. “Wait till you see _him_. I was there when he tried on his tux and he looks _amazing_.”

“What time is it?” Alice asked, getting impatient. She’d missed sleeping next to Hatter the night before and was anxious to see him.

“Time to get going,” Carol said. “Daisy, go and see if the limo is here. Lena, get the flowers.”

Lena was careful with the bouquets, holding them away from her so they wouldn’t get squashed. Hers was blue hydrangea in a shade darker than her dress. Alice’s was blue hydrangea as well, with some white stephanotis mixed in.

“Eat this,” Aunt Patty said, handing Alice a plate of finger sandwiches. “You don’t want to leave with an empty stomach and faint away in the middle of your vows.”

Alice took the plate and forced herself to eat one of the sandwiches, even though she wasn’t at all hungry. Anxiety was starting to creep back in, and once again she went over everything in her head to see if she’d forgotten anything.

“Viv and I are off to make sure everyone gets to the bridge,” Aunt Patty said. She gave Alice a kiss before heading out the door. Gram followed close behind, since she had to get back to the hotel to coordinate with the rest of the family.

“The limo is downstairs,” Daisy reported, coming through the door as the others were going out. “It’s so _big_!”

“You girls head down,” Carol said. “I’d like a moment alone with Alice.”

“You got it, Mrs. H,” Lena said. She handed the bouquets to Daisy long enough to slip into her jacket. “Bring the sandwiches.”

“Okay!” Daisy took the plate from Alice and followed Lena out the door. The apartment seemed suddenly too quiet, and Alice looked at her mother expectantly.

“I just wanted to tell you how happy I am for you,” Carol said. She took one of Alice’s hands in hers. “I love David, and I know he’ll take good care of you.”

“Mom…”

“I know, I know.” Carol flapped her free hand. “You can take care of yourself. But you don’t have to anymore, Alice. You and David need to take care of each other.”

“We will,” Alice said. “We already do.”

“I think your father would approve of him. And I’m so sorry he can’t be here to see you get married.” Carol squeezed Alice’s hand.

“It’s hard sometimes,” Alice said. “I can wish that Daddy had never been taken away from us, but if he hadn’t been I’d never have met Hatter. Seems unfair that I couldn’t have both of them in my life at the same time.”

Tears were starting to well and Alice blinked them back. Carol handed her a tissue.

“You’re right. It is unfair. But Daddy would be so happy to know that he was responsible for bringing you and David together. And even though we can’t see him, I know he’ll be there today.”

Carol had to get herself a tissue as well. “Okay, enough blubbering. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Alice slipped on her little jacket and checked herself one more time in the mirror. “Here we go,” she murmured to herself.

She picked up her little satin bag purse, and was just following her mother out the door when her cell phone started to ring. Motioning Carol ahead, Alice pulled the door shut behind her and locked it before answering the phone.

_I miss you_ , Hatter said without preamble.

“I miss you too,” Alice replied, grinning just to hear his voice.

_You’re still coming, yeah?_

“I’m heading out the door right now,” Alice assured him. “I’ll see you soon.”

_I love you._

“I love you too, Hatter.”

*o*o*o*

The afternoon was partly sunny, with a nice warm breeze melting the little bit of snow that still huddled in piles around the park. Alice stood at one end of the bridge, subjecting herself to last-minute primping from Lena and her mother.

“I don’t want the jacket,” she said again. “I’m really warm.”

“It’s going to be cooler up on the bridge, Alice,” Carol said patiently.

“I don’t want it!” And it wasn’t just because it was warmer out than she thought it would be. Alice wanted Hatter to get the full effect of the dress, to see how she’d modeled it after that other blue dress.

“Geez, just take the damn thing off!” Lena pulled at the jacket and Alice shifted so first one arm then the other slid out of the sleeves. Lena handed it to Carol.

“If she changes her mind, she can always put it back on.”

Carol sighed, but took the jacket. She gave Alice a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Everything’s going to be wonderful, sweetie. I’ll see you up there.” She hurried off to join the rest of the family, who were waiting at the center of the bridge. Alice could see Aunt Mattie up there in her wheelchair, Joelle beside her, and made a face. She hoped the crazy old woman wouldn’t say anything to ruin the wedding. Luckily Gram was standing on the other side of her and Alice trusted her to make sure Aunt Mattie behaved herself.

“Just Alice!” Charlie’s voice boomed out. Alice turned and gaped at him as he strode closer. He was in a tuxedo, complete with top hat and tails, and it fit him like a glove.

“Charlie…how?” Alice waved her hand at his outfit. She was at a loss for words. After seeing that awful suit he was wearing the night before, she hadn’t had high expectations for his ensemble today.

Charlie looked affronted. “I’m a Knight.”

Alice stifled a laugh. Of course, how could she have forgotten?

“So you’re Dave’s uncle?” Lena asked, looking him over. “You look pretty good for an old guy.”

“Lena!”

“Ah, you must be the girl Har…I mean, Hatter told me about.” Charlie nodded to himself. “Luckily for you, young lady, I strictly adhere to the rules of chivalry and honor.”

“I love this guy!” Lena said with a laugh.

The strains of guitar music suddenly reached them; Uncle Mike had started playing and it was time to get married. Lena gave Alice a quick kiss on the cheek, and poked Charlie in the arm.

“Save me a dance, Uncle Knight!”

Lena got in position and began slowly walking up the bridge. Alice put her arm through Charlie’s, only to have him jerk away, eyes wide. Damn, she forgot about the fan!

“Charlie…”

“Harbinger warned me of it, but to be this close.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and Alice was struck for the first time by how old he seemed.

“Are you okay Charlie?”

He opened his eyes. “I am well, not to worry!” He took Alice’s arm and started her up the bridge. “It cannot be mere happenstance that you should come to have this fan. I am cut off from the oracle on this side of the Glass, but upon my return I vow to find some answers.”

That filled Alice with a sense of relief that surprised her. “You know what, Charlie, if anyone can figure it out it’s you.”

Charlie blushed. “Yes, well, enough about me. Your groom awaits!”

Like magic, everyone and everything else just melted away the moment Alice saw Hatter. He wore a black on black tuxedo, with a very subtle paisley print on the vest. A new black porkpie sat atop his head, and his hair was as spiky as it had ever been. For the first time, Alice felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought of what she was about to do. She seemed to float the last few steps to the middle of the bridge, her eyes on Hatter alone.

“Alice…” Hatter breathed, his eyes wide. He reached out his hand and Alice took it after first giving Charlie a kiss on the cheek. Their fingers twined together and she couldn’t help returning Hatter’s big grin.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered.

“You look pretty good yourself,” Alice replied softly.

The JP cleared his throat, and Alice gave a guilty start. Judge Miles just nodded knowingly at them and smoothed down his black robes before starting the ceremony.

“Friends, we are gathered together here in the presence of this company, to join this man and this woman in the bonds of matrimony, which is an honorable estate and is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and soberly.”

His voice, deep and booming, carried out over the water. Out of the corner of her eye, Alice could see that they’d already drawn a small crowd of people out in canoes and kayaks.

“As the family and friends of David and Alice, you are here to express your love, hope and joy for this occasion. If you truly love this couple, you will never do anything to hinder their marriage, never speak against either spouse, and support the marriage through the good times and the hard times. Will you support this marriage? If so, answer ‘we will.’”

“We will,” everyone said. Except for Aunt Mattie, who only snickered.

Judge Miles smiled, then nodded his head. “Edward.”

Edward stepped forward and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. Alice and Hatter had asked him to read a poem they’d selected, one that Alice had always liked and felt reflected her relationship with Hatter.

“I Do Not Love You, by Pablo Neruda,” Edward said.

_I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,_   
_or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off._   
_I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,_   
_in secret, between the shadow and the soul._

_I love you as the plant that never blooms_   
_but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;_   
_thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,_   
_risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body._

_I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where._   
_I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;_   
_so I love you because I know no other way_

_than this: where I does not exist, nor you,_   
_so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,_   
_so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep._

Alice wiped away a stray tear that had tracked down her cheek while Edward read the poem. Hatter pulled her hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Judge Miles gave them a moment before he spoke again.

“David and Alice have prepared their own vows, and Alice has indicated that she would like to go first.”

Alice nodded at the JP and then closed her eyes for a moment, making sure she hadn’t forgotten what she wanted to say. When she opened her eyes again, she kept her gaze on Hatter’s face and squeezed his hand.

“I thought I had everything I needed, until I met you. I thought I didn’t need a man in my life to be happy. And that’s true. What I needed was you, Hatter. You’ve shown me what true strength and devotion are. There has never been a time, since the day we met, that you weren’t there for me when I needed you. You’ve loved me even when I didn’t deserve it. You’ve stood by me when I felt the most alone. I promise to love you, always. To support you and laugh with you and have your back. Always.”

Alice managed to keep her tears in check, barely; Hatter’s face was blurry and wavery, but she could see how moved he was. He squeezed her hand back, his own eyes bright with unshed tears. When it was his turn, he took a moment to clear his throat, then brought his free hand up to gently cup her face.

“Alice, I promise always to love you. I will thank you every day for coming into my life and filling it. I never felt so much or had such purpose before I met you. I don’t want to spend one day without you, not for the rest of my life. You are my heart and soul, my reason for breathing every single day. My Alice, I promise never to leave you, never to hurt you.”

Alice gave up trying to hold back her tears; Hatter brushed at them with his thumb.

“There’s a saying where I come from. _Skin to skin, blood and bone. From this day forward, you never walk alone. Though kingdoms crumble and skies may fall, with your hand in mine we’ll outlast them all_. As long as we’re together, Alice, nothing can come between us. And I make it my vow, to be with you until the end of all things.”

There was a lot of sniffling on the bridge; even Lena had a misty-eyed expression on her face. Alice accepted a handkerchief from her grandfather and dabbed at her eyes with it. She hoped her waterproof mascara was holding up, or else she was going to look like a raccoon in the wedding pictures.

“Do you have the rings?” Judge Miles asked.

Lena and Edward produced the rings and gave them to Alice and Hatter respectively. They were simple gold bands, except for the engraving around the inside – _Promise to love and hold you dear_. It was the one thing Hatter had really wanted, and they’d had a lengthy conversation about the inscription and what it meant for Hatter. It had been the first time he’d really opened up about Lily, the only other girl he’d loved, and Alice had been unable to refuse him; it was just one more way of putting the ghosts of the past to rest.

Alice slid Hatter’s ring on his finger. “With this ring, I place my heart in your hands. Like the unbroken circle, my love, respect and support of you will never end.”

Hatter did the same, and when he finished saying the words he pressed a kiss to the ring. He looked about ready to break down, so Alice took his face in her hands and just held him there, inches away, her thumbs stroking lightly over his cheekbones until he was able to get himself under control.

“Inasmuch as David and Alice have consented together in wedlock and have witnessed the same before this company, and thereto have pledged, each to the other, and have declared the same by the joining of hands, I pronounce that they are husband and wife.”

Judge Miles grinned at both of them. “You may seal your vows with a kiss.”

Hatter pulled Alice in and wrapped his arms around her. They kissed, lips turning up in smiles at the catcalls and clapping. The kiss probably went on a bit too long, and was a bit too deep with an audience standing by, but Alice didn’t care. She didn’t ever want Hatter to let her go.

“Congratulations!” shouted several of the people who had stopped and watched from their boats down below. Alice laughed into Hatter’s mouth, then turned to look over the railing.

“Thank you!” she called back.

And then they were beset by tearful friends and family, everyone wanting to congratulate the bride and groom. Through it all, Alice kept her hand firmly in Hatter’s. Her fingers brushed against his wedding band and she thought, “My husband. Mine. Always.”

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter stood alone on the bridge. Everyone had gone ahead to the Boathouse to get started on cocktails and appetizers, and the photographer, after having gone through several rolls of film, was not unobtrusively snapping some candid shots from a distance away. They would have to leave soon, and join the party, but Alice wanted that quiet moment with her husband first.

“I always did love you in blue,” Hatter said. He stood with Alice’s back against his chest, their heads together.

“Can you believe it’s been a year?” she murmured. “A year since I walked into your Tea Shop and you changed my life.”

Hatter wrapped his arms more tightly around her. “You saved my life that day as well, yeah? I just didn’t know it.”

“Mom says that everything happens for a reason, even the bad stuff.” Alice plucked a few petals from her bouquet. “And so I won’t regret anything that happened.”

Hatter pressed a kiss to her forehead. Alice held her hand out, letting the breeze carry the petals over the Lake.

“Thank you, Daddy. For bringing me to Hatter. For saving my life so that I could spend it with him. I love you.”

The petals drifted down onto the surface of the water and for the briefest of moments Alice swore she could sense her father’s presence there on the bridge. She smiled.

“Goodbye,” she whispered.

Alice turned to face Hatter and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “We’ve got lots more to do. Let’s go…husband.”

Hatter’s dimple flashed, his grin impossibly wide and so bright it lit up his whole face. “My wife.”

He gave her a quick twirl before capturing her in his arms once more and kissing her breathless.

“I’ve been waiting for your surprise,” Hatter said as they began walking, hand in hand.

“You won’t have to wait much longer,” Alice promised. “Let’s go party, Mr. Hatter.”

“As you wish, Mrs. Hatter,” he replied. 

They ran the rest of the way along the bridge, laughing, while their photographer hurried to keep up.


	32. The Wedding: Reception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song List (in case you want to get these ready and listen along):
> 
> Nobody Does It Better, Carly Simon  
> 1,2,3,4, Plain White T’s  
> Cha Cha Slide, Mr. C  
> Never Have I Ever, Hot Chelle Rae  
> What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong  
> Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song), Chris Young

“At this time it’s my pleasure to introduce, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. David Hatter!”

Alice and Hatter swept into the dining room, grinning. Alice knew that her feminist sensibilities should be offended by the Mrs. David Hatter thing, but she just couldn’t drum up any outrage; the fact of it was that she was very much enjoying being Mrs. David Hatter.

“The bride and groom have each chosen a special song for the evening. The first dance will be to Alice’s selection.” The DJ immediately started the music and Hatter drew Alice close. They moved together slowly, swaying and turning.

_Nobody does it better_   
_Makes me feel sad for the rest_   
_Nobody does it_   
_Half as good as you_   
_Baby you’re the best_

_I wasn’t looking_   
_But somehow you found me_   
_I tried to hide from your love, babe_   
_But like heaven above me_   
_The spy who loves me_   
_Is keeping all my secrets safe tonight_

Hatter grinned as he listened to the lyrics and Alice was glad he liked the song. She’s heard it a million times since she was a kid, but one day it just clicked in her head; this was a Hatter song.

_The way that you hold me_   
_Whenever you hold me_   
_There’s some kind of magic inside you_   
_That keeps from running_   
_Just keep it coming_   
_How’d you learn to do the things you do_

When the song ended Hatter pulled Alice into a tight hug and kissed her soundly, to applause and laughter from their wedding guests. The DJ put on some soft instrumental music.

“If you haven’t already enjoyed your appetizers, please do so now. Before the entrees come out, we’ll have time for a very special song.”

Alice and Hatter joined Lena and Edward at the head table and Alice was never happier to see a garden salad in all her life; she was starving. Before she’d taken more than a bite, the clinking of the glasses started.

“Why are they doing that?” Hatter asked, confused. Alice laughed.

“It means they want us to kiss,” she explained.

“Oh, well, if they insist.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, long enough to elicit a catcall from Uncle Mike. 

“Jeez, get a room,” Lena complained, shielding her eyes.

“Well…” Hatter said speculatively. Alice elbowed him.

“Down boy. Eat your salad.”

Alice wolfed down her greens, then did a spot check to make sure she hadn’t gotten any of the vinaigrette on her dress.

“Tooth check,” she said to Lena, who made sure there was nothing green stuck to her teeth.

Alice took a deep breath and watched as Hatter finished off his own salad. The moment she’d been practicing for was finally upon her and she was incredibly nervous.

“Alright, love?” Hatter asked, wiping dressing off his chin.

“Fine. I’m fine.” She gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Be right back.”

Alice gave Uncle Mike the high sign and headed over to the DJ’s table. He was an amiable guy named Todd in his mid-thirties with a shock of white-blonde hair arranged in a faux-hawk.

“Are you ready?” he asked her.

“As ready as I’m going to get.”

“Okay then.” Todd turned the instrumental music down and got back on his microphone. “If I can have your attention! Would the groom please come down to the dance floor and have a seat?”

A chair had been dragged out to the middle of the small dance floor, adorned with white and blue crepe paper bells. Hatter shot Alice a quizzical look, but did as he was instructed. Uncle Mike joined Alice, pulling his acoustic guitar out from behind the DJ table.

Alice surveyed the room. It seemed cavernous to her at the moment, though that was likely because her family and friends barely filled half of it. It was made for much larger groups, but Alice had reserved the whole thing because she didn’t want to share her special day with strangers.

“Alice, you have the floor!” Todd handed her the microphone and she just stared at if for a minute, her stomach starting to knot up with anxiety. But then she looked at Hatter and forced herself to breathe.

“There’s something that Hatter loves me to do that I’ve never done in public before.” Alice blushed as soon as she said that, hearing how it sounded. Lena’s spluttering laugh didn’t help.

“What I mean is, Hatter loves it when I sing,” Alice said quickly. “And so I wanted to sing a song for him, something special. Uncle Mike and I have been practicing for weeks. So anyway, here goes. This is for you, Hatter.”

Alice closed her eyes as Uncle Mike started to play, waiting for her cue. When it was time, she opened her eyes and looked only at Hatter.

_Give me more lovin' than I've ever had_   
_Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad_   
_Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not_

_Make me feel good when I hurt so bad_   
_Barely gettin' mad, I'm so glad I found you_   
_I love bein' around you_   
_You make it easy, it's as easy as 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4_

_There's only one thing to do_   
_Three words for you_   
_I love you_   
_There's only one way to say_   
_Those three words and that's what I'll do_   
_I love you_

Alice took advantage of Uncle Mike’s solo to try and compose herself. She hadn’t expected to get so emotional, but singing this song to Hatter – finally! – was a lot different than singing to her uncle. And seeing the complete and utter joy on his face while she sang was totally undoing her. She took a deep, shuddering breath and finished the song.

_There's only one thing to do_   
_Three words for you_   
_I love you_   
_There's only one way to say_   
_Those three words and that's what I'll do_   
_I love you_   
_I love you_

By the time she finished, Alice had a painful lump in her throat. But she didn’t have time to worry about it, because Hatter was up and out of the chair in a flash. He pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you, my Alice,” he whispered in her ear. “You were brilliant!”

Everyone else was cheering and Uncle Mike made exaggerated bows before taking his seat again. Daisy intercepted them on their way back to the head table, beaming.

“I never knew you could _sing_! You were so _great_!”

“Thanks, Daisy.” Alice gave her a quick hug.

“Well, I do believe dinner is being served,” said Todd, reclaiming the microphone. “Let’s put on a little mood music.”

More romantic instrumental music flowed out of the speakers as the waitresses emerged carrying trays of food. There had been four choices of entrée for the guests to choose from – Alice had gone with the Scottish salmon, which looked positively succulent. Hatter, ever the meat man, had the filet mignon, though he seemed a bit dubious about the garlic spinach.

For a while the only sound, besides the music, was the clatter of silverware and the murmur of quiet conversations. Alice traded a forkful of salmon for a taste of Lena’s vegetarian lasagna, and outright stole a piece of Hatter’s beef.

“Oi! That’s mine!” Hatter protested. In retaliation he nabbed one of her wild mushrooms.

“Forget it, Dave,” Lena said. “Your days of ‘mine’ are over. You’re married now.”

“Yeah, it’s all ‘ours’ now,” Alice said. She made a move toward his plate with her fork, but he blocked her with his steak knife.

“If you wanted the meat, you should’ve ordered it.” He narrowed his eyes, but the effect was spoiled by the half-smile on his face.

“I just wanted a little taste,” Alice said, batting her eyelashes at him.

“Please.” Lena rolled her eyes.

“Here’s your taste, love.” Hatter pulled Alice forward with a hand on her chin and kissed her.

“Mmm…just the way I like it!” Alice murmured.

Edward cleared his throat and hid a smile behind his napkin. Alice laughed and made to move away when the clinking of the glasses began again.

“Demanding group, that,” Hatter remarked. But he happily obliged them by kissing his bride again.

*o*o*o*

When everyone had finished with dinner, and the waitresses were starting to clear the dishes, Todd got back on the microphone.

“Okay, everyone, time to work off that big meal! Let’s do the Cha Cha Slide!”

Alice dragged Hatter to the dance floor, where everyone who wanted to dance got in a double line. Charlie remained on the sidelines, watching.

“What’s this?” Hatter asked.

“Just follow along to the song,” Alice said. “It’s a line dance. It’s fun!”

_To the left_   
_Take it back now y’all_   
_One hop this time_   
_Right foot let’s stomp_   
_Left foot let’s stomp_   
_Cha cha real smooth_

It didn’t take long for Hatter to get into the swing of things, and Alice cracked up every time he did the cha cha because he’d really get his hips swinging. Edward bowed out, claiming the hopping was a bit much for his knees, and so did Rose. But Alice’s grandpa stayed right in there, clearly concentrating on the directions.

“You look great, Poppy!” she called over her shoulder.

“Not as great as you,” Hatter said. When it was time to cha cha again, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back, moving their hips together in time to the music.

_Right foot two stomps_   
_Left foot two stomps_   
_Now slide to the left_   
_Slide to the right_   
_Criss-cross_   
_Criss-cross_   
_Cha cha real smooth_

Hatter got tangled up in the criss-cross, and Alice couldn’t help showing off by hiking up her skirt just a bit.

“No one likes a braggart, love,” he said.

“You’re doing great,” Alice said with a grin. “For someone who can’t dance.”

“You just wait,” Hatter warned. 

They finished off the Cha Cha Slide, everyone laughing. When Alice went to get back to her seat, Hatter grabbed her hand and kept her on the dance floor.

“No rest for the new bride,” Todd said merrily. “David would like to dance with Alice to the song that he selected. Hope you have comfortable shoes on!”

Alice looked at Hatter, curious about the song he’d picked. He just grinned at her, and when the music started she couldn’t help but laugh. Trust him to pick such a fast song for a wedding dance! Hatter took her in his arms and began whirling her around the dance floor.

_Never ever before_   
_Has a colorful world_   
_Held a colorful girl_   
_Like you, you gotta fly_

_Never have I ever felt like this before_   
_I’ve never been the one to knock_   
_But now I’m at your door_   
_Listen very closely and you’ll hear the sound_   
_Of a love that makes my heart beat_   
_And my head spin around_

_I spin round_   
_I spin round_   
_I spin round_   
_I spin round_

And spin her Hatter did, until she was dizzy. She had no idea he could dance like that, and she just held on for the ride while he led her through the fast-paced steps. By the end of the song they were laughing together, out of breath and light-headed.

“How did you do that?” Alice gasped.

“Lessons,” Hatter replied. He grabbed a glass of water from the nearest table and downed it in one gulp. “Six weeks.”

“Wow!” Alice clung to him, still trying to catch her breath. She couldn’t believe he did that for her. “That was…impressive.”

“You think? Wait till the honeymoon, love.” Hatter waggled his eyebrows.

*o*o*o*

Everything was moving along well. Todd played a mix of current songs and oldies so that everyone had a chance to dance. Alice thought she’d never seen anything funnier than Charlie trying to do the YMCA. She was glad he was joining in and having fun, though. She made a mental note to talk to Hatter about how tired he seemed.

“Ooh, this one is for us, Uncle Knight!” Lena grabbed hold of Charlie and made him dance with her to Hero, by David Crosby. Poor Charlie looked decidedly awkward, trying to hold Lena at a proper distance while she did her best to dance close.

“Hope the photographer is getting that, yeah?” Hatter chuckled.

When the song was over and Charlie had hastily retreated back to his table, Todd announced that it was time for cake cutting. Everyone gathered around the table that had the cake on it – a beautiful confection in the shape of a huge teacup, frosted white with blue piping around the rim. It rested on an oversized plate decorated with a scattering of blue gerbera daisies.

Hatter and Alice posed with their hands on the knife before cutting into the teacup and revealing three layers of golden cake interspersed with chocolate cream. When Todd prompted them to feed each other a piece, Alice instinctively pulled back.

“Don’t smash it in my face,” she said. Hatter looked at her, perplexed.

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know. A lot of people do. I’ve always hated that.”

“No worries, Alice.” Hatter scooped up a modest piece of cake on his fork and carefully fed it to her. “Oops, sorry. Got a bit on you.”

“Where?” 

“Here.” Hatter smeared a little blob of frosting on the tip of her nose.

“I see.” Alice forked up a much larger piece of cake and fed it to Hatter, who watched her warily. As soon as he closed his mouth she repaid him with a glob of icing on his own nose.

Hatter just laughed, and kissed Alice’s nose, swiping off the frosting with his tongue. She did likewise, and then pulled him back out to dance while the rest of the cake was cut and passed around to the guests.

“So what’s left? Just the flower toss?” Hatter asked as they slowly turned in place. 

“Yeah, that and the garter.” Alice hadn’t wanted to include that, having hated being dragged out with all the other single women at other people’s weddings. But Hatter had insisted. If they were having an Oyster wedding, they’d be doing all the traditional parts.

“And then we can go home?” he asked with a hint of longing. Alice laughed and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Yes, then we can go home. And tomorrow we head to Hawaii for two weeks of sand, sun and surf.”

Another mental note, this time to ask Charlie about getting back to Wonderland. They’d jokingly talked about honeymooning there months ago but had been unable to determine a way of getting there. Now Charlie could maybe act as a go-between and set something up with Jack, for when they got back from Hawaii.

“Two weeks, just the two of us,” Hatter murmured. “Suppose I’ll have to let you out in your scanties.”

“It’s a bathing suit, Hatter, and yes, you will. Did you remember to pack yours?”

“Yeah. Any nude beaches in Hawaii?”

“Hatter!” Alice slapped him in the arm. “I am _not_ going to a nude beach.”

“Knew we should’ve got the place with the private beach,” Hatter lamented. Alice shook her head.

“Not even on a private beach. No public nudity, Hatter. Going to have to stay pretty firm on that one.”

“Something tells me we’ll be spending lots of time indoors.”

*o*o*o*

Alice and Hatter made the rounds of the tables, taking a few minutes to visit with everyone. Even with so few people invited to the wedding, Alice felt they’d hardly had a minute to talk to anyone.

“You. Alice.” Aunt Mattie reached out one skeletal hand and grabbed Alice around the wrist. Alice sighed, then plastered a smile on her face.

“Aunt Mattie! We’re so glad you could come!”

“No you’re not. But I came anyway.” The old woman cackled.

“Aunt Mattie…” Alice’s grandmother said, a warning in her voice.

“You cleaned it up,” Aunt Mattie said. She pointed to the fan hanging around Alice’s wrist, but made no move to touch it.

“My mom did. It looks nice now, doesn’t it?”

“You wear it like a trinket,” Aunt Mattie said with disdain. “You still don’t understand, stupid girl.”

“Aunt Mattie, that’s enough!” Rose smacked her hand on the table, making the glasses clink together. “You will not insult Alice on her wedding day.”

The old woman just grinned, showing yellowed dentures. “Enjoy your trip.”

“Thanks,” Alice said, confused. “I’ve never been to Hawaii, so…”

But Aunt Mattie had let go and turned away, clearly not interested in hearing about Alice’s honeymoon plans. Her grandmother just shrugged and looked apologetic. She looked like she wanted to say something, but Todd was making another announcement.

“Would Carol and Charlie please join Alice and Hatter on the dance floor. They have chosen a special song to share with you.”

Hatter held a hand out to Carol and she took it, putting her other hand on his shoulder. Charlie looked at them, then did the same with Alice.

“What are we doing?” he whispered.

“Dancing,” Alice whispered back.

_I see trees of green, red roses too_   
_I see them bloom, for me and you_   
_And I think to myself_   
_What a wonderful world_

_I see skies of blue, and clouds of white_   
_The bright blessed day, dark sacred night_   
_And I think to myself_   
_What a wonderful world_

“I’m so glad you came,” Alice said. “I missed you.”

“I missed you as well, Just Alice.” Charlie stepped on her foot and hastily apologized.

“When you go back, could you talk to Jack for me?”

“The King? But of course! Um…what would be the nature of this discussion?”

“Hatter and I would like to come back, for a visit. To Wonderland. When we get back from our honeymoon.”

“That is wonderful news!” Charlie crowed. Alice shushed him.

“I mean, of course,” he continued in a stage whisper. “That we would be greatly appreciative to have the Heroes of Wonderland return, even if only for a short while.”

_The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky_   
_Are also on the faces, of people going by_   
_I see friends shaking hands, sayin', "How do you do?"_   
_They're really sayin', "I love you"_

“So you’ll do that for me?” Alice asked.

“Of course! You can count on me!” Charlie couldn’t have looked any happier, and Alice was glad to give him something to look forward to. Herself as well, if she was being honest. She looked over his shoulder, grinning at the sight of Hatter and her mother dancing and laughing together. Other guests had joined in the dancing as well, including Aunt Patty and Aunt Viv. 

_Yes, I think to myself_   
_What a wonderful world_   
_Oh yeah_

Alice couldn’t help but feel that the lyrics were apt, especially today. It really was a wonderful world and she was so happy to be a part of it. When the song ended she gave Charlie a kiss on the cheek. He responded in kind, then gave her a quick hug.

“So what’s the good news?” Hatter asked, joining them.

“Ah, Harbinger! Uh…I mean…nephew.” Charlie stuttered. “I am greatly looking forward to seeing you again!”

“Again?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Alice promised. She pulled Hatter away, in search of something cold to drink, before Charlie got too worked up and started thanking the mystical forces; the wedding was quite exciting enough without bringing in the Black Arts.

*o*o*o*

“All the single ladies, front and center!” Todd called out. Alice was amused to see them all gathered together – her mother, Daisy and Lena, her cousins Tami and Kelsey, even Joelle. Luckily Aunt Mattie had been persuaded to stay at her table – rather forcefully – by Alice’s grandmother.

“Alice, whenever you’re ready!”

With a grin, Alice turned her back to the group. Todd gave her a three count and she hefted the bouquet over her shoulder. She turned as quick as she could and saw that Lena and Kelsey were grappling for the bouquet, scattering blue petals across the dance floor. Lena eventually gained the upper hand and did a little victory dance, bouquet held high over her head. Alice shook her head. Her Maid of Honor had clearly been partaking of the cash bar.

“Okay, bachelors! Who will be the lucky guy that gets to put the garter on the Maid of Honor’s leg?”

This was a slightly smaller group consisting of Edward, Peter, Charlie, and Alice’s younger cousin Billy.

“What is the purpose of this?” Charlie asked Hatter.

“You catch the garter and put it on Lena’s leg. It’s an Oyster thing.”

“Ah, some sort of obscure ritual. Of course.”

A chair was brought out for Alice to sit on, and Todd put on something that sounded like cheesy seventies porn music.

“David, go get that garter!”

Hatter needed no further prompting. On his knees, he pulled Alice’s dress up just enough to get underneath it, until all that was sticking out was his legs. Alice giggled, embarrassed, while various people wolf-whistled and that ridiculous music played. Hatter’s hand slid up her thigh and his fingers wrapped around the garter. Just for a moment, the fingers of his other hand took a momentary side trip that had Alice almost jumping out of the chair.

“Hatter!”

“Someone get him a snorkel!” Lena called out.

Hatter reappeared, grinning, to applause. He swung the garter around on his finger. “Ready, mates?”

Mirroring Alice, Hatter turned his back and gave the garter a good toss over his shoulder. Whether by chance or design – and Alice would put nothing past Hatter – the garter sailed right into Charlie’s hands. The Knight looked down at it, flushing bright red.

“Uncle Charlie, you are one lucky man! Lena, if you’ll take a seat.”

Lena was more than happy to do so. Charlie shot a panicked look at Hatter, who only nodded at him and smiled. With obvious reluctance, Charlie knelt at Lena’s feet. His eyes widened when she put her foot up on his shoulder.

“Here you go, Uncle Knight. Just slide it on up.”

Alice put her hand over her eyes. Poor Charlie, he looked so scandalized; she couldn’t watch. Whatever happened, it was over quickly and Charlie made a swift retreat to the other side of the room. Edward followed him, presumably to offer support and possibly a stiff drink.

“Time to cut her off,” Hatter said, drawing Alice’s attention away from Charlie.

“What?” she asked, but he only pointed. Lena was grinning triumphantly, one side of her dress hiked up to her thigh. 

“I’m engaged! I got engaged!”

Before Alice could make a move in her direction, Daisy took Lena by the arm and pulled her aside. Daisy also waylaid a waitress and requested some coffee. Alice was relieved that someone else was on the job, and reminded herself to thank Daisy later.

*o*o*o*

Todd was back on the microphone. “Can I have your attention? This party is drawing to a close, but before that happens the Best Man would like to make a speech. Edward?”

Edward took the microphone and cleared his throat. “Um…hi, everyone. I haven’t known David for very long, less than a year, but in that time I’ve learned quite a lot about him. I know that he has a good head for business, and he can charm the scales off a snake.”

There was a titter of laughter at that.

“I know that he loves Alice in all the right ways, and would do anything for her. It’s been a pleasure working with him, and being his friend. Anyone who can count David Hatter as a friend is lucky indeed. I was incredibly honored when he asked me to be his best man. I wish David and Alice the best of life, and know that as long as they stay together they’ll have it. There never was a couple more in love, or more suited to each other. Congratulations.”

Everyone raised a glass of champagne in toast. When Edward returned to the head table Alice gave him a big hug.

“Thank you, Edward. That was lovely.”

“You’ve quite the silver tongue yourself,” Hatter remarked. His eyes were bright and Alice knew how moved he’d been by the speech. He and Edward exchanged a back-slapping man hug.

“Please join Alice and David on the dance floor as they dance their last dance of the evening. This song was requested by the Maid of Honor.”

Hatter groaned, but Alice only started laughing when the strains of country guitar began to play.

_Tuxedo waiters, black ties_   
_White tablecloths and red wine_   
_We've been plannin' this night_   
_Lookin' forward to it for some time_

_Honey, I know you love gettin' dressed up_   
_And you know I love showin' you off_   
_Watchin' your baby blue eyes_   
_Dancin' in the candlelight glow_   
_All I can think about is gettin' you home_

Hatter grinned and pulled Alice tightly against him. He ground his hips into hers suggestively. 

“This is a good song, yeah?”

“Behave yourself,” Alice laughed. But she knew how he felt. She couldn’t wait to get him home, to consummate their new relationship as husband and wife.

_Walkin' through the front door_   
_Seein' your black dress hit the floor_   
_Honey there sure ain't nothing_   
_Like you lovin' me all night long_   
_And all I can think about is gettin' you home_

“I love you, my wife,” Hatter whispered in Alice’s ear. “When we get home I’ll show you how much.”

“I can’t wait,” Alice murmured back. She bit his earlobe, sucking on it just for a second; she knew how much he liked that.

“Get a room!” Lena called out.

Alice blushed, and pulled back just a bit. “It’s definitely time to go.”

When the song finished, the photographer pulled Hatter and Alice aside, wanting to get some photos out on the dock as the sun went down. They walked out hand in hand, and Alice still felt like she was flying. She’d never understood about weddings, never saw what the big deal was. But now she knew. She had declared her love for Hatter in front of close friends and family, promised him that she’d love him forever. And he’d done the same, without hesitation. Alice never thought she’d be so incredibly happy.

“Okay, you two! Let’s get one of you looking into each other’s eyes.”

Alice and Hatter were happy to comply, and while the shutter was busily clicking away on the camera they kissed again.

“Oh, that’s going to be a beautiful shot!” Carol said, coming out on the dock.

“These two get any happier, they’re going to fly away,” chuckled the photographer.

Hatter and Alice assumed several other poses, some of them silly and some of them romantic. After about ten minutes, Alice was ready to go back inside. It was getting chilly outside now that the sun was mostly down and she wanted to finish things up and go home.

“One more,” the photographer insisted. “Alice, stand in front of David. Put your arms around her…yes, perfect. Now, Alice, open the fan and hold it just below your eyes.”

“The fan?” Alice asked.

“It’ll be beautiful,” the photographer promised. Alice shrugged and pulled the fan off of her wrist. With a twist of her fingers she flicked it open.

And left her mother and the photographer standing on the dock, open-mouthed, when the wooden planks dropped out from under her feet and she and Hatter disappeared from sight.

Down a rabbit hole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN:** Special thanks to Alaina Downs for her help in getting this chapter finally written and this set of stories finished. She kept cracking the whip, and also gave me some help with scenes. Thanks also to Celticbriarrose, for suggesting the last song. 
> 
> And yes, the White Rabbit’s fan has indeed opened a rabbit hole, right under Hatter and Alice’s feet. I'm not saying I'll never write the sequel, which has been loosely plotted out for quite some time now, but I just don't know when I'll get back to this fandom. I'm hoping someday!!
> 
> I have never been to Central Park, much less the Loeb Boathouse. I owe all my knowledge of these places to Google and various websites. Any mistakes or discrepancies are mine, and I apologize.


End file.
